Biography:
Henry Lyndhurst Bruce was born 25 May 1881, the elder son and heir of 2nd Baron Aberdare and his wife Mary, and one of three Wykehamist brothers.
He came to Winchester College in September 1894 from Revd WH Churchill's school at Reigate and was in D House, Fearon's, under Mr Kensington. We have little information about his school career other than that he played in his house cricket team. Henry left Winchester in the summer of 1899 for New College, Oxford.
In 1903, Henry joined the 3rd (Militia) Battalion Hampshire Regiment and then served from 1906 with the 3rd Battalion (Militia) Royal Scots Regiment, and in 1913 and 1914 he spent several months at the Royal Scots regimental depot training recruits and instructing in musketry.
Soon after the outbreak of war Bruce was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, joining them in France on 7 October 1914. Over the next two months the battalion was heavily engaged on the northern section of the British front, where the Germans had concentrated their strength. For a great part of the time he was acting as second-in-command.
Bruce was killed on 14 December 1914 near Wyteschaete, while leading an attack on the enemy lines across very difficult ground. The first line of trenches had been taken and as he was climbing out of the captured position to lead the assault on the second line he fell, shot through the head. The operation subsequently earned the battalion the thanks of the Commander in Chief and the Army Commander. His name appeared in Lord French's Despatch of 31 January 1915.
Bruce's place of burial is unknown but he is commemorated on panel 11 of the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
Captain Bruce married in 1906 Miss Camille Clifford, the original Gibson girl - actress and singer and Edwardian pin-up. A daughter was born in 1909 who only lived five days.