JOHN BRUCE WEST
Regimental No. 8/3431
3 August 1896 – 3 July 1916
John Bruce WEST was born on or about 3 August 1896, in the town of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. His father, John Robert Dunlop West was a blacksmith, and his mother’s names were Elizabeth Ann (nee RUST). In 1899 a second son was born - Norman Elmslie. In the same year the family decided to migrate to New Zealand to find work, Australia being in the grip of a depression at the time. In 1901 they had a daughter, Olive Muriel, in New Zealand. By the time they could register to vote in the New Zealand election scheduled for December 1905 the family was living in Grafton Road, Roseneath, and John was enrolled at Roseneath School, where he seems to have been known as Bruce.
By the time war was declared in August 1914 Bruce had left school and found work in the Railways Department, as a cleaner. By this time the family had moved to Dunedin, and were living in Outram Street, Mornington. Bruce was probably working at Dunedin Railway Station, where the constant movement of trains coming and going required a large workforce to carry out the cleaning and maintenance tasks to keep the locomotives in good working order. The job of cleaner was the starting point for a career which would have taken him to the most senior ranks of railwaymen- locomotive driver - as everyone had to progress through the ranks learning on the job all aspects of the workings of the steam locomotives of the day.
Bruce was a tall young man, over 6 feet in height, so when he enlisted at Trentham on 25 August 1915 he got away with claiming he was 21 years old. In fact he had only just turned 19.
Bruce was given regimental number 8/3431, and became a Private in the Otago Infantry Regiment. After only three months training in New Zealand Bruce was despatched on the Willochra and Tofua with the rest of the 8th Reinforcements to Egypt, arriving there on the 18th December 1915. Bruce may have met up with others from Roseneath School who were also in the 8th Reinforcements, such as John Smith.
Bruce spent three months training in Egypt. In April 1916 the newly established New Zealand Division, including three infantry brigades, left Egypt for France. Bruce was amongst the infantry men despatched on the Llandovery Castle on 9th April 1916. For the next three months the New Zealand Division concentrated in the northern part of the country west of Armentieres for brief final training before entering the line for the first time. The Armentières front line was regarded by the Allies as a nursery sector where new units could undergo familiarisation without being called upon for intensive offensive operations. Nevertheless, it was not an easy introduction to the front for the New Zealanders. On arriving in their sector, they found the defensive arrangements to be poor and immediately set about improving the trenches and wire emplacements. Although the bulk of the division's personnel manned secondary defences rearward of the front line to avoid the German artillery, the forward areas had to be constantly patrolled as a deterrent to an attack and to give the impression they were fully manned. By the time the New Zealand Division was relieved in August, it had incurred 2,500 casualties, including 375 dead. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Division)
Bruce was one of those killed, on 3rd July 1916. He had been a soldier for 8 months only, and only 3 months in action, and was not yet 20 years old. He had served with the Otago Regiment, 14th Coy.
Bruce was one of six Kiwis killed that day and buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres shortly afterwards. His grave reference is I.C.31. Later the same month Frank Ballard was also laid to rest in Cite Bonjean. The cemetery now contains 2,132 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. Within the cemetery stands the CITE BONJEAN (NEW ZEALAND) MEMORIAL, commemorating 47 officers and men of the New Zealand Division who died in the neighbourhood of Armentieres and have no known grave.
Bruce’s death was recorded in both the Evening Star on 20 July and the Otago Daily Times the following day. His parents were living at 36 Dundonald Street, Anderson’s Bay, the same address to which his service medals, plaque and scroll were despatched during the next few years. Bruce’s mother died on 4th November 1927, and John died in 1936 and was buried with Elizabeth in Andersons Bay Cemetery, Block 106, Plot 35. Their headstone confirms Bruce’s birth year.
Regimental No. 8/3431
3 August 1896 – 3 July 1916
John Bruce WEST was born on or about 3 August 1896, in the town of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. His father, John Robert Dunlop West was a blacksmith, and his mother’s names were Elizabeth Ann (nee RUST). In 1899 a second son was born - Norman Elmslie. In the same year the family decided to migrate to New Zealand to find work, Australia being in the grip of a depression at the time. In 1901 they had a daughter, Olive Muriel, in New Zealand. By the time they could register to vote in the New Zealand election scheduled for December 1905 the family was living in Grafton Road, Roseneath, and John was enrolled at Roseneath School, where he seems to have been known as Bruce.
By the time war was declared in August 1914 Bruce had left school and found work in the Railways Department, as a cleaner. By this time the family had moved to Dunedin, and were living in Outram Street, Mornington. Bruce was probably working at Dunedin Railway Station, where the constant movement of trains coming and going required a large workforce to carry out the cleaning and maintenance tasks to keep the locomotives in good working order. The job of cleaner was the starting point for a career which would have taken him to the most senior ranks of railwaymen- locomotive driver - as everyone had to progress through the ranks learning on the job all aspects of the workings of the steam locomotives of the day.
Bruce was a tall young man, over 6 feet in height, so when he enlisted at Trentham on 25 August 1915 he got away with claiming he was 21 years old. In fact he had only just turned 19.
Bruce was given regimental number 8/3431, and became a Private in the Otago Infantry Regiment. After only three months training in New Zealand Bruce was despatched on the Willochra and Tofua with the rest of the 8th Reinforcements to Egypt, arriving there on the 18th December 1915. Bruce may have met up with others from Roseneath School who were also in the 8th Reinforcements, such as John Smith.
Bruce spent three months training in Egypt. In April 1916 the newly established New Zealand Division, including three infantry brigades, left Egypt for France. Bruce was amongst the infantry men despatched on the Llandovery Castle on 9th April 1916. For the next three months the New Zealand Division concentrated in the northern part of the country west of Armentieres for brief final training before entering the line for the first time. The Armentières front line was regarded by the Allies as a nursery sector where new units could undergo familiarisation without being called upon for intensive offensive operations. Nevertheless, it was not an easy introduction to the front for the New Zealanders. On arriving in their sector, they found the defensive arrangements to be poor and immediately set about improving the trenches and wire emplacements. Although the bulk of the division's personnel manned secondary defences rearward of the front line to avoid the German artillery, the forward areas had to be constantly patrolled as a deterrent to an attack and to give the impression they were fully manned. By the time the New Zealand Division was relieved in August, it had incurred 2,500 casualties, including 375 dead. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Division)
Bruce was one of those killed, on 3rd July 1916. He had been a soldier for 8 months only, and only 3 months in action, and was not yet 20 years old. He had served with the Otago Regiment, 14th Coy.
Bruce was one of six Kiwis killed that day and buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres shortly afterwards. His grave reference is I.C.31. Later the same month Frank Ballard was also laid to rest in Cite Bonjean. The cemetery now contains 2,132 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. Within the cemetery stands the CITE BONJEAN (NEW ZEALAND) MEMORIAL, commemorating 47 officers and men of the New Zealand Division who died in the neighbourhood of Armentieres and have no known grave.
Bruce’s death was recorded in both the Evening Star on 20 July and the Otago Daily Times the following day. His parents were living at 36 Dundonald Street, Anderson’s Bay, the same address to which his service medals, plaque and scroll were despatched during the next few years. Bruce’s mother died on 4th November 1927, and John died in 1936 and was buried with Elizabeth in Andersons Bay Cemetery, Block 106, Plot 35. Their headstone confirms Bruce’s birth year.