Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The mounted group of five miniature dress medals attributed to Major Hon. Bernard Bruce, M.C., Scots Guards and a Patrol Commander of the Long Range Desert Group

Military Cross, G.VI.R., silver; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 8th Army clasp; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf, silver, all unnamed, mounted as worn; together with two identity tags, ‘Hon. B. Bruce, 74477, Epis.’, very fine (lot)
£400-500

M.C. London Gazette 22 April 1943. ‘In recognition of gallant & distinguished services in the Middle East’.

Recommendation states: ‘Lieut. Bruce commanded a patrol of L.R.D.G. which carried out a recce of the area Bir Dufan-Bir Tala-Beni Ulid before it had been evacuated by the enemy. With a complete disregard of personal safety he spent seven days behind the enemy lines, during which time he collected a vast quantity of information which was of paramount importance to the comds who planned the advance and to those leaders whose task it was to execute the resultant plans. During the actual advance Lieut. Bruce went forward with the advanced elements in order to be in a position from which he could amplify the information he had previously sent in. Lieut. Bruce’s bravery was largely responsible for the speed with which this part of the advance was carried out.

M.I.D. London Gazette 15 December 1942. ‘In recognition of gallant & distinguished services in the Middle East for the period November 1941 to April 1942’.

Bernard Bruce was born in Aberdour, Fife, on 12 June 1917, the son of the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine and Mrs J. A. Stirling of Kippendavie, Perthshire. Educated at Eton and New College, Oxford, he was then employed as an Articled Clerk with a firm of Chartered Accountants. Having gained his pilot’s certificate with the Oxford University Air Squadron, he joined the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve of Officers in 1937. The following year he transferred to the Supplementary Reserve of Officers, Scots Guards. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Scots Guards on 23 February 1938. With the onset of war he was posted to the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards in April 1940 and served in Egypt and Libya. In October 1941 he joined the H.Q. of 13 Corps as G.S.O.III (Liaison) and later as G.S.O.III (Air). He rejoined the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards in July 1942, and in September joined the H.Q. of 30 Corps as A.D.C. In October 1942 he joined the Long Range Desert Group and served as Patrol Commander in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Algeria. In August 1943 he joined H.Q. 78 Division and served as G.S.O.III (Operations) in Sicily and Italy. In January 1944 he joined the (Tactical) H.Q. 8th Army and served as G.S.O.II (Operations) in Italy. He returned to England in December 1944. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross. Bruce is mentioned by name as commanding the Guards Patrol L.R.D.G. in Providence their Guide, by David Lloyd Owen. He was released from military service in 1946 with the honorary rank of Major.

Sold with a wealth of original documents, papers and photographs, including:

Hand-written summary of wartime service; Certificate of Competency and Licence to Fly, dated 11 August 1936; Commission Document for Pilot Officer in the Reserve of Air Force Officers, dated 23 October 1937; Commission Document for Second Lieutenant, Scots Guards Supplementary Reserve of Officers, dated 4 February 1938; War Office letter of thanks for valuable services, 1946; L.R.D.G. Association booklet; L.R.D.G. Association Membership List; L.R.D.G. Association Newsletter; The Way to Tripoli, An Account of “G” Patrol, Long Range Desert Group from 25th December, 1942 til 23rd January, 1943 - typescript and hand-written copies; Notes on ‘G’ Patrols, L.R.D.G., Oct. 1942-Apr. 1943 - hand-written; wartime telegram (1) and letters (2) to Mrs Stirling (his mother); wartime letters to Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Stirling, D.S.O., M.C. (4); letters to Bruce from Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese (2); a bound copy of facsimile signatures from the Visitors Book at various Army H.Q., inside cover inscribed, ‘To Bernard Bruce, who did so much for Tac - With my most grateful thanks, Oliver Leese, Xmas 1947’; A Collection of General Montgomery’s Personal Messages to the Eighth Army, El Alamein-Ortona, bound copy; sundry wartime papers, booklets, magazines, cuttings, programs, menus, and photographs - many annotated on back.