Rank:
Commander
Post nominals:
RD
Birth date:
11.04.1876
Birth Place:
London, United Kingdom
Service Number:
01457
Date Joined:
02.01.1893
Date Discharged:
1927
Death date:
01.05.1932
Place of death:
Auckland, New Zealand
Display No. 15H
BRUCE, Dick Foveran Turing
Dick Bruce joined the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) in 1893. He completed courses in torpedoes in HMS Vernon and gunnery in HMS Excellent. He also took part in annual training cruises in HM Ships Juno and Pyramus.
During the First World War, Bruce was the Navigation Officer on the cable ship HMS Iris based out of Auckland. In 1918 Iris intercepted and recaptured Count Felix von Luckner, who had escaped in a stolen motor boat from the internment camp on Motuihe Island.
In 1915 Bruce was awarded a Royal Naval Reserve Officers Decoration Medal and later became a Commander in the RNR.
The British War Medal, The Mercantile Marine War Medal, Royal Naval Reserve Decoration
Awarded medal(s)
Medal Description [Left to Right]:
The British War Medal
The British War Medal was instituted in 1919 to recognise the successful conclusion of the First World War (1914-1918). Its coverage was later extended to recognise service until 1920, recognising mine clearing operations at sea, and participation in operations in North and South Russia, the eastern Baltic, Siberia, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
The Mercantile Marine War Medal
The Mercantile Marine War Medal, instituted in 1919, was awarded to all members of the Merchant Navy who had undertaken one or more voyages through a war or danger zone during the First World War. The ribbon has three bands: green, white and red. These represent a ship’s starboard (green) and port (red) running lights with the masthead (white) steaming light in the centre.
Royal Naval Reserve Decoration
Instituted in 1908, the Royal Naval Reserve Decoration was awarded to commissioned officers in the Royal Naval Reserve after fifteen years of service; active wartime service counting as double. Recipients are entitled to use the postnominal letters RD. White edging was added to the original plain dark green ribbon in 1941. The VRD was discontinued in the United Kingdom in 1966 but continued to be issued in New Zealand, instituted in 1985 as the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve Decoration with qualifying service backdated to 1977. The New Zealand RD is the exact same design as the RNR Decoration and uses the white edged green ribbon.