Hugh Bruce
| Hugh Glenrinnes Bruce | |
|---|---|
| Born |
26 January 1919 Mhow, India |
| Died | 9 January 2003 (aged 83) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/ |
Royal Marines |
| Years of service | 1937–1957 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Royal Marines |
| Commands held | Special Boat Service |
| Battles/wars | Cyprus Emergency |
| Awards | Mentioned in Despatches (3) |
Hugh Glenrinnes Bruce (26 January 1919 – 9 January 2003) was a prisoner of war in Colditz Castle and later commanding officer of the Special Boat Service.
Hugh Glenrinnes Bruce was born at Mhow in India, where his father was serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps on attachment to the Indian Army. He was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton.
Bruce joined the Royal Marines in 1937. He was commissioned a year later, and served briefly in the battleship HMS Rodney before being selected for the Calais force.
Bruce was part of Captain Darby Courtice's company of 85 Royal Marines when it landed at Calais shortly after midnight on 25 May 1940. With one other officer, Lieutenant David Hunter, they were charged with helping French marines to defend the ancient citadel at the centre of the town. There they were attacked by the full might of XIX Panzer Corps and, by early evening, were surrounded and out of ammunition. They had fought with such vigour that the official German record read, "The enemy gives the impression of being fresh, and seems to have received reinforcements after two days of heavy fighting."
When Calais fell Bruce sought to escape but was captured and marched across northern France to the German frontier, and then on to Laufen camp in Bavaria. In the spring of 1941 he was moved to Stalag XXI-D (Posen), a punishment camp set up in response to the supposed ill-treatment of German prisoners in Canada. Here, Bruce and his comrades were kept underground in deplorable conditions, which resulted in Bruce contracting pompholyx, brought on by poor nutrition and lack of sunlight.
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Wikipedia