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BRUCE A<br />
Private L/3833 Amos BRUCE. 1 st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died India Friday 16 th<br />
May 1919 aged 32 years. Born Hastings, Sussex. Enlisted Rye, Sussex. Son of Alfred and<br />
Florence Rowena Bruce of Thornden Road, The Layne, Rolvenden, <strong>Kent</strong>. Buried Pesharwar<br />
(Right) B.C.XLV.48. His name also appears on the Delhi Memorial (India Gate), India. Panel<br />
reference Face 1-23.<br />
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –<br />
Thornden Lane, Rolvenden<br />
Private 8833 Amos BRUCE. 1 st Royal Sussex Regiment.<br />
Lance Corporal P/11184 Arthur BRUCE. Military Foot Police.<br />
Amos died of wounds.<br />
BRUNGER T<br />
Company Sergeant Major T/201 Thomas BRUNGER. Tenterden Company, 5 th Battalion, The<br />
Buffs (East <strong>Kent</strong> Regiment). Died Friday 7 th January 1916 aged 34 years. Born Rolvenden.<br />
Enlisted Rolvenden. Resided Rolvenden. Husband of P.C Freeman (Formerly Brunger) of 68<br />
Marville Road, Fulham, London. Buried in the Amara War Cemetery, Amara, Iraq. Grave<br />
reference XXXI.B.5.<br />
Thomas lived in Rolvenden all his life apart from when he was in the Army. He lived at “Rosaville<br />
House”, Rolvenden Layne. As a boy Thomas was a member of the church choir and later was the<br />
Scoutmaster of Rolvenden Troop Boy Scouts.<br />
Thomas was promoted to CSM on 27 th November 1915.<br />
The 1901 census gives –<br />
High Road, Rolvenden<br />
Elizabeth BRUNGER 64 Widow Biddenden<br />
Elizabeth 34 Servant Rolvenden<br />
Thomas 19 Platelayer Rolvenden<br />
Mabel 16 Rolvenden<br />
On the 7 th January 1916 the 5 th battalion (part of the Tigris Corps tasked with relieving Kut) was in<br />
action all day at Sheikh Saad in Iraq. This was 20 miles downstream of Kut-al-Amara. The<br />
battalion went forward under heavy shelling and dug in alongside elements of the Seaforth<br />
Highlanders and Black Watch. The weather was bitterly cold and showery all day which resulted<br />
in terrible human conditions. The battle continued the next day. The battalion lost 250 men killed<br />
and wounded. Some 40 of these men were killed outright (including Thomas leading his men).<br />
This disastrous engagement cost over 4,000 British lives.<br />
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