Orders, Decorations and Medals

A scarce post-war O.B.E. group of six awarded to Captain M. Bruce, Royal Navy, who was mentioned in despatches for services as a Lieutenant-Commander in the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Triumph during the Korea War

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge; 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Korea 1950-53, M.I.D. oak leaf (Cdr. M. Bruce, R.N.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, mounted as worn, good very fine or better (6) £600-800

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1959.

Martin Bruce, a pre-war pilot in the Fleet Air Arm, was serving as a Lieutenant on the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939, and gained advancement to Lieutenant-Commander in February 1940. Later that year, he joined the Fleet Air Arm base Vulture at St. Merryn, near Padstow, in which capacity he appears to have served until the end of 1942, when he took up an appointment at the Naval Ordnance Department.

Having then been promoted to Commander in December 1946, he won a mention in despatches for services in the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Triumph off Korea in the period July-September 1950 (London Gazette 2 February 1951 refers), which ship mounted numerous sorties with Seafires from No. 800 and No. 827 Squadrons, attacking enemy targets at sea and ashore, not least on the occasion of the Inchon landings.

Bruce subsequently added the O.B.E. to his accolades for his services as Director-General Aircraft, which insignia he received at a Buckingham Palace investiture held on 17 February 1959, and he was finally placed on the Retired List as a Captain.