Biography:
Norman Martin Bruce was born 10 April 1890, the son of John Bruce and Florence Emma Bruce of Whitby. His grandfather was Dr John Bruce, an antiquarian who worked extensively at Hadrian's Wall.
He came to Winchester College from Mr AH Raikes' school in Windermere in the summer of 1903 and was in I House, Turner's. He swam, rowed and played both golf and soccer for his house.
Norman left Winchester in the summer of 1908 for Christ Church, Oxford, and his distinguished himself as an oarsman at Oxford: he rowed in his College VIII in 1909 (when it was head of the river) and in Trials in 1911-1912, and won the University Sculls both years. He subsequently rowed for the Diamonds at Henley and in 1912 stroked the Christ Church IV to victory for the Visitors' Cup.
On leaving Oxford in 1912 he studied for the Bar and was waiting to be called when war broke out. He obtained a commission in the 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment and in the early summer of 1915 left England for Gallipoli. He was killed on 7 August 1915 on the heights above Suvla Bay. He had brought his men ashore successfully and it was while they were driving the enemy back to Lala Baba Hill that he fell. His place of burial is unknown and Bruce is instead commemorated on the Helles Memorial