Thank you to Wendy Shuttleworth for the following research.
Bruce Pledge was born in Dorking on the 24th August 1881 and baptised at St. Martins Parish Church Dorking on 11th March 1885. He lived with his parents Job (a Sawyer) and Harriet, and also Grandmother Jane and siblings Ada, Herbert & Rosa at 31 Castle Gardens, Dorking.
In 1891 he was still in Dorking and living at 29 Castle Gardens Dorking.
By 1911 he was now married to Edith, they married in April 1910. He was a serving Navy Officer having enlisted in 1898 and they were living in Portsea at 51 Hanover Street.
KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION
The Dorking British School has yet another name to add to its roll of honour, 1st Class Petty Officer Bruce Sydney Pledge, who was killed on Saturday last by an explosion on board a destroyer. He was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Job Pledge of Castle Gardens, and joined H. M. Navy on March 19th 1897, at the age of 15 1/2 years. He served in a training ship til 1899, when he qualified in a torpedo school til he became a torpedo instructor, and served successively in India, Somaliland, the Persian Gulf and Gibraltar, then returning to England. But when the war broke out he was called back to his duties on a destroyer in the North Sea, where he has unfortunately met his death. He obtained his good conduct medal medal last year. His wife lives at Portsmouth. Mr. and Mrs. Pledge’s second son, Wilfred is also a Leading Seaman in the Navy.
Bruce Pledge Death Notice © Dorking Advertiser – findmypast.co.uk
Bruce joined the Royal Navy and served on HMS Albacore as a Petty Officer. He was killed by a mine explosion in the North Sea on 9th March 1917, he has no known grave and is remembered on Chatham Naval Memorial.
Bruce was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the General Service Medal, Victory Medal and Long Service & Good Conduct medal.
| Born | Dorking, Surrey | |
| Son of | Job and Harriet Pledge of Castle Gardens, Dorking | |
| Husband of | Edith Pledge of 8, College Street, Portsea | |
| Regiment | Royal Navy. H.M.S Albacore | |
| Number | 192918 | |
| Date of Death | 9th March 1917 | |
| Place of Death | North Sea | |
| Cause of Death | Killed by a mine | |
| Age | 35 | |
| Memorial | Chatham Naval Memorial |
