David Bruce was born and raised in Glasgow where he married in 1936. He worked as a spirit salesman before serving in the Royal Marines during the war, He was killed when he rode his motorcycle into the rear of a stationary army truck in Widford in June 1944.

David was born in Glasgow in 1911, the son of John Orton Geddes Bruce (1873-1920) and Ellen Park (nee Bruce) (1890-1961). David's parents had married at their home, 113 Oxford Street in Glasgow, on 15th July 1910. At thet time David's father working in a sewing machine factory.

Dsvid amarried to Grace Winifred Goodwin Newlands at St. Andrew's Hall in Glasgow on 18th February 1936. At the time David was a 24 year-old spirit salesman who lived at 155 Lawmool Street in Glasgow. His bride was the same aged, worked as a grocer's assistant and lived at Northbank in Whiting Bay.

During the war David served as Corporal CH/X 101557 of 1 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Marines.

He was killed, aged 33, on 14th June 1944, on the A12 Widford Bridge approach when, in broad daylight, he rode into the back of a stationary army lorry when motorcycling from London.

A Chelmsford newspaper reported:

"HIT LORRY IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. Mystery Fate of Motor Cyclist. Recording a verdict of Accidental death at the inquest at Chelmsford on Corporal David Bruce, aged 33, of the Royal Marines, who was killed when his motor cycle crashed into the rear of a stationary Army lorry at Widford, the Deputy-Coroner, Mr. H M. Pinney, said it was very mysterious accident. "It was broad daylight and there is no explanation at all of the crash," the Coroner added. "There can be no fault attaching to anyone but the deceased himself. He could not have realised what was going to happen."

Today he lies at Cathcart Cemetery in Glasgow (Compt. 2.F. Linn Extn. Grave 44.).

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