Name
Bruce Law
28 March 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/10/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
14607
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
AMERVAL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, SOLESMES
C. 25.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Ashwell Village Memorial, St Mary’s Church Roll of Honour, Ashwell
Pre War
Bruce Law was born on 28 March 1897 in Ashwell, the son of James and Elizabeth Law, and was baptised on 9 May 1897 in Ashwell. He was one of ten children, although one had died by 1911.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Mill Street, Ashwell, where his father was working as an agricultural labourer. They remained at the same address in 1911 at which time, 14 year old Bruce was working as a gardener domestic.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hitchin on 4 September 1914 when he was 17 and served with the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.
He was posted to France in May 1915 and was employed on Red Cross work and as a company stretcher bearer. At some point he was promoted to Corporal.
He and two others were killed in action on 23 October 1918 when a shell hit their Aid Post and several others were wounded. The Hertfordshire Express quoted a letter from his officer to his parents on 30 November 1918: "I could not have wished for a finer man as my corporal than your son. He was most excellent at his work, always cheerful even under the most trying circumstances and an exceedingly brave fellow."
He is buried in Amerval Community Cemetery Extension, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £20 and pay owing of £24 9s and his mother received a pension of 5 shillings a week.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson, www.ashwellmuseum,org.uk
