FAMILY LIFE

John Francis Bruce was born in 1889 in Moss Vale, son of William and Mary Jane Bruce of Murwillumbah. He was brother to 8 siblings, including William & Robert, who enlisted in 1915 & Robert who enlisted in 1916. His parents had brought the family to the Byron/Tweed area of the North Coast when the region was being opened in the late 1890s and early 1900s. Good land could be obtained easily and it was an ideal place to bring up a family of nine, including five young boys. William leased the property known as Fernhill in South Murwillumbah in 1913 and successfully farmed it for 20 years. The family lived in Church St Murwillumbah

BROTHERS IN ARMS

The first of this Bruce family to go to war was William who enlisted in July 1915 aged 21. He was a school teacher and was attached to the 9th Infantry Battalion. He served in Egypt and France. Robert, a farmer, joined in 1916 aged 21 and was attached to the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, serving in Palestine.

APPLICATION

John was single labourer, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 14th June 1915 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his father, William, of Murwillumbah. His medical showed he was 24 years old, 5ft 6 ¼ inches tall (1.68m), weighed 156 lbs (71kgs), with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes & brown hair.  His eyesight was good. He was Roman Catholic and had clear skin.  He was enlisted as a private into the 9th Infantry Battalion – 8th Reinforcements with service No 2554

9TH INFANTRY BATTALION

The 9th Infantry Battalion, also known as the "Fighting Ninth," has a proud history within the Australian Army. Its origins trace back to 1867, when it was formed as part of the Queensland Volunteer Rifle Corps. Over time, it evolved into the 9th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) during World War I. It symbolizes courage, dedication, and service to Australia

ENOGGRA TRAINING CAMP

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague. John received his on 18^th June 29^th June 1915. Then a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training would take several months

VOYAGE OVERSEAS

On the 16^th August 1915, the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Kyarra. They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. Attempts at breaking up the boredom, apart from the regular drill, varied. Shipboard activities included regular church parades and concerts. Troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection. Sports and recreation included boxing, deck quoits, draughts. Also, the commanding officer's morning inspection; kit inspections; submarine drill; recreation such as the on deck 'open air' library, deck billiards, pillow fighting and card games including Nap. As well, conditions on the ships were cramped and the risk of illness was constant. 

EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP

They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the Egyptian training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. They began their training with physical fitness exercises, they were taught individual and unit discipline, how to follow commands, how to march, some basic field skills and how to safely handle his weapons. 

Training would be for eight hours a day six days a week. All day long, in every valley of the Sahara for miles around the Pyramids of Giza were groups or lines of men advancing, retiring, drilling or squatted near their piled arms listening to their officer. For many of the battalions many miles of desert had to be covered in the morning and evening to and from their allotted training areas. At first, to harden the troops, they wore full kit with heavy packs. Their backs became drenched with perspiration, and the bitter desert wind blew on them as they camped for their midday meal and many deaths from pneumonia were attributed to this cause.

TRANSFER TO 49^TH INFANTRY BATTALION 25^th FEBRUARY 1916

The 49th Infantry Battalion was formed in Egypt on February 27, 1916, as part of the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) following the Gallipoli Campaign. It was composed of Gallipoli veterans from the 9th Battalion and fresh recruits from Australia. The battalion became part of the 13th Brigade within the 4th Australian Division. The unit earned numerous battle honours and decorations for its service, reflecting its bravery and contributions to the war effort

DISCIPLINED TEL EL KEBIR

On 8^th March 1916 John went awl till 9^th March. He forfeited 2 day’s pay and was given 48 hours Field Punishment No.2. In Field Punishment Number Two, the prisoner was placed in fetters and handcuffs but was not attached to a fixed object and was still able to march with his unit. This was a relatively tolerable punishment.

BETWEEN FEBRUARY 1916 & JUNE 1916

Between February 1916 and June 1916, the 49th was primarily undergoing formation, training, and organization in Egypt, preparing for service on the Western Front. They trained in desert conditions, focusing on trench warfare tactics, weapons handling and unit coordination and discipline. They lived in tent camps under hot, dry conditions, often with poor sanitation. By mid-June 1916, preparations began for transfer to the Western Front.

OVERSEAS TO FRANCE JUNE 1916

At that time, the four AIF infantry divisions that were based in Egypt were transferred to Europe, where they would later be joined by the 3rd Division, which undertook its initial training in Australia before finalising its preparations in the United Kingdom at the end of the year. Sailing on the transport Arcadian, the 49th Battalion landed in Marseilles, France, on 12 June 1916, and moved up to the front line around Strazelle, arriving on 21 June.

TRENCH WARFARE

They now found themselves fighting the German in trench warfare. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France & Belgium, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats

The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:

·      Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.

·      Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.

·      Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.

The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite

BATTLE OF POZIERES EARLY AUGUST 1916

The battalion's first significant action came during the Pozieres, their baptism of fire. The battle for Pozières aimed to capture and hold the village and the surrounding ridge, a critical German observation point. The 49th Battalion entered the line in early August 1916, during the second phase of fighting around Pozières and Mouquet Farm.

Their primary tasks were to hold captured ground under relentless German shelling, consolidate trenches and defences and repel counterattacks. The intensity of German artillery was extreme—often described by veterans as worse than anything at Gallipoli.

The 49th suffered heavy casualties during this period. They faced constant bombardment, harsh trench conditions (mud, corpses, rats) and physical and psychological strain. Like other units in the 4th Division, the 49th was battered but held their position. The shelling at Pozières did not merely shake the ground; it obliterated it.” — Official War Historian Charles Bean

BATTLE OF MOQUET FARM 1916 AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER 26^TH

The 49th was heavily involved in the Battle of Mouquet Farm in August–September 1916, shortly after their baptism of fire at Pozières. This was part of the Somme campaign on the Western Front, one of the most gruelling periods Australian troops endured during WWI.

The Battle of Mouquet Farm took place between 10 August and 5 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. Mouquet Farm (nicknamed "Moo-cow Farm" by soldiers) was located northwest of Pozières and was a heavily fortified German strongpoint- capturing it was seen as essential to breaking the German line along the Pozières ridge.

The battalion took part in several assaults on and around the farm in late August 1916.Their objectives included advancing across open ground under fire, digging, and occupying new trenches close to German positions and fending off fierce German counterattacks

The fighting was intense and costly: artillery barrages devastated both sides. Heavy machine gun fire from well-entrenched German positions made gains minimal, muddy terrain and destroyed landmarks created chaos and attacks often resulted in only a few metres gained, followed by German counter-bombardments and counter-assaults.

The 49th Battalion suffered severe casualties during this period, both in killed and wounded. Morale was tested by the futile, repeated attacks, the poor weather and constant shellfire. The overall attempt to capture Mouquet Farm ultimately failed after weeks of fighting.

The Battle of Mouquet Farm reinforced the battalion's reputation for courage under impossible conditions. It became a defining experience for the 49th, etched into its regimental identity. The name "Mouquet Farm" is proudly inscribed as a battle honour on the unit's colours.

OCTOBER 1917

In October 1916, the 49th was engaged in frontline duties on the Western Front in northern France, specifically in the Somme region. The battalion had suffered heavy casualties in August 1916 during the Battle of Pozières, part of the larger Somme Offensive. By October, they were recovering and reorganizing after those losses.

October saw the 49th rotating between front-line trenches and reserve areas near the Somme. Their duties included holding defensive positions, trench maintenance and fortification, patrols and reconnaissance and training new reinforcements

The conditions were cold, wet, and muddy, with the onset of autumn. Troops suffered from trench foot, lice, and general fatigue.  There were no major battles involving the 49th in October, but sporadic shelling and sniper fire continued. The focus was on holding ground and preparing for future offensives.

WOUNDED IN ACTION 16^th OCTOBER 1916

During one of these routine actions John was received a gunshot wound to his left leg on 16^th October 1916.

CLEARING STATIONS

John was treated at the clearing station fiirst

A Clearing Station was a key part of the military medical evacuation chain used by soldiers. It was set up a few miles behind the front lines, often near railways or roads and positioned far enough to be relatively safe from artillery, but close enough for rapid access

The were staffed by:

·      Army doctors and surgeons

·      Nurses (including Australian Army Nursing Service nurses)

·      Orderlies and stretcher bearers

Soldiers were often treated here and the sent to hospitals for long term care

HOSPITALISATION 4^th NOVEMBER 1916

he was admitted to the 3^rd General Hospital in Boulogne on 4^th November 1916

TRANSFER TO ENGLAND & AMPUTATION OF LEG

On 11^th November 1916 he was placed on the St David bound for England and admitted to Reading War Hospital on 17^th November 1917.  There, it was decided his leg could not be saved and it was amputated.

HOSPITALISATION APRIL 1917

From Reading, John was transferred to the 2^nd Auxiliary Hospital on 4^th April 1917 where he would learn to live with only one leg.

FURLOUGH SEPTEMBER 1917

On 10^th September he was given leave to 24^th September, then return to the hospital

MARRIAGE 15^th SEPTEMBER 1917

John married Nellie McKenzie on 15^th September 1917 at St John’s Roman Catholic Church, Brentford.

DISCIPLINED AWL

John returned on 26^th September but then went awl from 9am 27^th September to 12 noon on the same day. He forfeited 4 day’s pay

HOSPITALS

From then on John was in and out of Red Cross Training Camps & hospitals  

GOING HOME

On 3^rd January 1918 John & Nelie returned to Australia and was discharged on 9^th February 1918.

 AFTER THE WAR

All the brothers were lucky enough to return to Australia. He spent the rest of his life in Murwillumbah. After the war most of the family remained in the Mullumbimby or Murwillumbah area but Robert and a younger brother became cane-cutters in Queensland.

FOR HIS SERVICE

John was granted a pension of 3 pound per fortnight beginning 10^th February 1918. For his service, John was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

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