Corporal Royal Stewart Bruce
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Corporal Royal Stewart Bruce was born at Aubrey, Quebec, on 15 February 1915, the son of Bryce Egbert Bruce and Muriel Mary Ann McKell. He completed Grade 8 in Quebec in 1930. Before the war he worked on the family farm, where he kept bees, and later worked for Charles Lamb in Huntingdon, Quebec, managing a wholesale tobacco and retail confectionery and magazine business. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal on 8 October 1940 as R73698. Bruce advanced from Aircraftman Second Class through Aircraftman First Class and Leading Aircraftman to Corporal. His duties included approximately four years as a drogue operator and about six months as the NCO in charge of an aircrew accommodation base in London. He served 1,984 days in all, including 483 days overseas. He embarked at Halifax on 4 October 1944 and his recorded overseas-service period ended on 29 January 1946. He was entitled to the Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, and War Medal 1939–1945. He was honourably released at Lachine, Quebec, on 14 March 1946. At discharge he planned to work as an apiarist and fruit farmer, either with his father or in a business of his own. He married Muriel Fawcett Parkin on 14 June 1947 and died at Peterborough, Ontario, on 22 March 1997.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
R73698
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Air Force
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Air Force
Battalion:
No. 76 RCAF Base
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Aubrey, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
25 years 7 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
31 years
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
82 years 1 month
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Clerk-bookkeeper
Next of Kin:
Bryce Egbert Bruce, father, Franklin Centre, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Franklin Centre, Quebec
Religion:
United Church of Canada
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 10.3 in / 178 cm
Weight:
132 lbs / 60 kg
Chest:
34.8 in / 88 cm
Expansion:
2.0 in / 5 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Great Britain
Place of Discharge:
Lachine, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1983 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Corporal |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 76 RCAF Base |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Corporal |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 2 Release Centre, Lachine |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Corporal |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 1 Repatriation Depot |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Corporal |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Corporal |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
RCAF Overseas Headquarters |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Acting Corporal (paid) |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
RCAF Overseas Headquarters |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Acting Corporal (paid) |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Acting Corporal (paid) |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 1 Y Depot |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Acting Corporal (paid) |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
Mountain View |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Acting Corporal (paid) |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
RCAF Station Aylmer |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Acting Corporal (paid) |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 14 Service Flying Training School, Aylmer |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Acting Corporal (paid) |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Leading Aircraftman |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
AC1 |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
AC2 |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
AC2 |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
Manning Depot, Toronto |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal 1939–1945 |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1915-02-15 — Born at Aubrey, Quebec.
1940-10-08 — Enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal, Quebec, as Aircraftman Second Class, service no. R73698.
1940-10-08 — Taken on strength at Manning Depot in Toronto, Ontario, after enlistment.
1940-11-15 — Posted from Manning Depot, Toronto, Ontario, to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School at Fingal, Ontario.
1941-01-08 — Reclassified Aircraftman First Class while serving in Canada.
1941-03-04 to 1941-03-11 — Granted annual leave while serving in Canada.
1941-04-08 — Reclassified Leading Aircraftman while serving in Canada.
1941-06-16 to 1941-06-23 — Granted 7 days annual leave while serving in Canada.
1941-09-11 to 1941-09-18 — Granted 7 days special leave while serving in Canada.
1941-10-23 — Passed the Pre-Aircrew Mathematics and Science test while serving in Canada.
1942-03-18 to 1942-03-25 — Granted 7 days annual leave while serving in Canada.
1942-06-25 to 1942-07-02 — Granted 7 days annual leave while serving in Canada.
1942-09-16 to 1942-09-23 — Granted 7 days annual leave while serving in Canada.
1942-11-01 — Appointed Acting Corporal (Paid) and Temporary Corporal while serving in Canada.
1942-12-19 — Admitted to T.T.S. Hospital at St. Thomas, Ontario, with a right-ankle Pott's fracture.
1943-01-13 — Discharged from T.T.S. Hospital at St. Thomas, Ontario, and returned to duty at Fingal, Ontario.
1943-03-17 to 1943-03-31 — Granted 14 days leave while serving in Canada.
1943-04-14 to 1943-04-21 — Granted 7 days annual leave while serving in Canada.
1943-07-03 to 1943-07-07 — Granted 4 days leave while serving in Canada.
1943-08-12 to 1943-08-26 — Granted 14 days annual leave while serving in Canada.
1943-10-21 — Admitted to sick quarters at No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario, with acute follicular tonsillitis.
1943-10-27 — Discharged to duty at No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario, after treatment for acute follicular tonsillitis.
1943-11-05 to 1943-12-03 — Recorded a 30-day leave period while serving in Canada.
1943-11-23 — Sent on temporary duty to Aylmer, Ontario.
1944-01-24 — Struck off strength of No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School at Fingal, Ontario, for transfer to Aylmer, Ontario.
1944-01-25 — Taken on strength at No. 14 Service Flying Training School, Aylmer, Ontario.
1944-03-15 to 1944-03-28 — Granted 14 days annual leave while serving in Canada.
1944-06-07 to 1944-06-20 — Granted 14 days annual leave while serving in Canada.
1944-08-14 — Struck off strength of No. 14 Service Flying Training School at Aylmer, Ontario.
1944-08-15 — Taken on strength at RCAF Station Aylmer, Ontario.
1944-09-01 — Posted from RCAF Station Aylmer, Ontario, to Mountain View, Ontario.
1944-09-13 to 1944-09-26 — Granted 14 days embarkation leave in Canada before overseas service.
1944-09-26 — Struck off strength at Mountain View, Ontario, for transfer to No. 1 Y Depot.
1944-09-27 — Taken on strength at No. 1 Y Depot in Canada for overseas movement.
1944-10-04 — Embarked at Halifax, Nova Scotia, for overseas service in the United Kingdom.
1944-10-12 — Disembarked in the United Kingdom.
1944-10-13 — Taken on strength at No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre in the United Kingdom.
1944-10-27 — Taken on strength of RCAF Overseas Headquarters and attached for duty while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-01-26 — Admitted to No. 23 Canadian General Hospital while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-02-03 — Underwent chest X-ray examination at No. 23 Canadian General Hospital while serving in the United Kingdom; the requisition recorded acute follicular tonsillitis and stated that the chest was clinically clear.
1945-02-06 — Discharged from No. 23 Canadian General Hospital while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-02-06 — Documented as Corporal while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-02-07 — Granted 3 days sick leave while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-03-13 to 1945-03-16 — Forfeited four days' pay while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-03-19 — Posted from RCAF Overseas Headquarters to No. 76 RCAF Base in the United Kingdom.
1945-03-20 — Taken on strength at No. 76 RCAF Base in the United Kingdom.
1945-04-21 — Granted 7 days privilege leave while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-06-08 — Granted 7 days privilege leave while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-07-28 — Granted 19 days privilege leave while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-08-07 — Admitted for medical treatment at R.C.A.F. Station Topcliffe, Topcliffe, England.
1945-08-11 — Discharged to duty from R.C.A.F. Station Topcliffe, Topcliffe, England.
1945-10-29 — Granted 7 days privilege leave while serving in the United Kingdom.
1945-11-08 — Admitted for medical treatment to No. 22 Canadian General Hospital, Bramshott, England.
1945-11-12 — Struck off strength of No. 76 RCAF Base for transfer to No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre in the United Kingdom.
1945-11-17 — Discharged to duty from No. 22 Canadian General Hospital, Bramshott, England.
1945-11-28 — Taken on strength at No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre in the United Kingdom.
1946-01-28 — Struck off strength of No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre and posted to No. 1 Repatriation Depot in the United Kingdom.
1946-01-29 — Taken on strength at No. 1 Repatriation Depot in the United Kingdom; this was the final day counted as overseas service.
1946-02-08 — Struck off strength of No. 1 Repatriation Depot for posting to No. 2 Release Centre, Lachine, Quebec.
1946-02-08 to 1946-03-13 — Granted 30 days special leave during release processing.
1946-02-09 — Taken on strength at No. 2 Release Centre, Lachine, Quebec.
1946-02-12 — Underwent a discharge chest radiograph while attached to No. 2 Release Centre, Lachine, Quebec; the film was reported negative, with no evidence of tuberculosis or disqualifying lung disease.
1946-03-14 — Medical category A4B was recorded at release at Lachine, Quebec.
1946-03-14 — At discharge in Lachine, Quebec, planned to farm under the Veterans' Land Act; referred to D.V.A./V.L.A. at London, Ontario, and N.E.S.B. at Montreal, Quebec.
1946-03-14 — Honourably released from the RCAF at No. 2 Release Centre, Lachine, Quebec, on completion of his term of voluntary service during an emergency, and transferred to the reserve.
Notes
Born at Aubrey, Quebec, 15 February 1915. He completed Grade 8 in Quebec in 1930 and spoke French. Before enlistment he worked on the family farm, where he kept bees, and had bookkeeping experience. From October 1939 to April 1940 he worked for Charles Lamb in Huntingdon, Quebec, managing a wholesale tobacco and retail confectionery and magazine business. His civilian training included apprentice bookkeeping. During service he took Pre-Aircrew Mathematics and Science and passed the recorded test on 23 October 1941. A 1946 personnel counselling report recorded apiary experience with about 120 colonies and horticultural experience; he planned after discharge to join his father in that type of business or establish his own with Veterans Land Act assistance. At his original enlistment medical examination he was 5 feet 10 1/4 inches tall, weighed 132 pounds, had a chest measurement of 34 3/4 inches with 2 inches expansion, dark brown hair, brown eyes, a medium complexion and good physical development. His personnel counselling assessment described him as a very good type with good learning ability and an above-average personality. He did not intend to return to his immediate pre-enlistment employer, Charles Lamb, because Lamb was deceased. His chosen postwar career was apiarist and fruit farmer. At release he planned to farm under the Veterans' Land Act and was referred to D.V.A. and V.L.A. officials at London, Ontario; his post-discharge mailing address was Franklin Centre, Quebec. The Veterans Affairs discharge counselling summary described him as having been raised on a farm in the Eastern Townships, specializing in bees and some fruit, and considered him fully experienced in fruit and beekeeping. It recorded about five years of service and 14 months overseas. In addition to the London, Ontario D.V.A./V.L.A. referral, he was referred to N.E.S.B. in Montreal, Quebec, and was awaiting returns benefits. An RCAF medical-history form dated 28 November 1940 recorded appendicitis at about age seven, with no operation and no recurrence noted afterward, and otherwise denied the listed major medical conditions. During an admission to No. 23 Canadian General Hospital from 26 January to 6 February 1945, a chest X-ray requested in connection with acute follicular tonsillitis found the bony thorax, heart and aorta normal, with slight diaphragmatic adhesions and no evidence of parenchymal disease in either lung. A later Record of Service also corroborates his Franklin Centre schooling and pre-service farm/beekeeping and bookkeeping experience.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Born at: Aubrey, PQ., on February 15, 1915.
Record information. Birth 15 Feb 1915 Aubrey, Le Haut-Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada Marriage 14 Jun 1947 Residence 1996 Peterborough, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada Death 22 Mar 1997 Peterborough, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada Record information. Father Bryce Egbert Bruce (1885-1968) Mother Muriel Mary Ann McKell (1886-1944) Spouse Muriel Fawcett Parkin (1924-2005)
Request confirmation number EA2026_0173078
Additional Service Notes
Served in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 8 October 1940 to 14 March 1946, a total of 1,984 days. He served 483 days overseas, of which 479 were qualifying overseas service; four days, 13-16 March 1945, were excluded from qualifying service because of forfeiture of pay. He embarked from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 4 October 1944 and disembarked in the United Kingdom on 12 October 1944, with his overseas-service period ending on 29 January 1946. His wartime duties included approximately four years as a drogue operator and about six months as the non-commissioned officer in charge of an aircrew accommodation base in London. His final rank was Corporal.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Father: Bryce Egbert Bruce, Franklin Centre, Quebec. Mother: Muriel Mary Ann McKell (verified CWVMP record). He was single during service. CWVMP records a postwar marriage to Muriel Fawcett Parkin on 14 June 1947.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-19 02:05:03
by: marc
