Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War C.B. group of five awarded to Admiral E. F. Bruen, Royal Navy, who commanded H.M.S. Bellerophon at the battle of Jutland

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, with neck cravat; 1914-15 Star (Capt. E. F. Bruen. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (R. Adml E. F. Bruen. R.N.); France, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamels, the first with minor chipping to wreaths, otherwise good very fine or better (5) £2,600-£3,000

C.B. (Military Division) London Gazette 3 June 1918.

M.I.D. London Gazette 14 September 1916 (Commended for services in the Battle of Jutland).

Officer of the Legion of Honour London Gazette 22 September 1916 (Jutland).

Order of St Anne, 2nd Class with Swords London Gazette 5 June 1917.

Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd Class London Gazette 29 November 1918.

Edward Bruen was born on 7 November 1866, into the Anglo-Irish landed gentry. He was the second son of the Right Honourable Henry Bruen of Oak Park, Carlow, a long standing Member of Parliament and member of the Privy Council for Ireland, and his wife Mary (née Connelly). He was educated at Stubbington's House, a naval preparatory school at Fareham, Hampshire, and in January 1880 he became a cadet at Britannia on the river Dart. The course lasted for two years and Bruen did so well that, on passing out in December 1881, he was credited with eight months' seniority.

Bruen began his sea-going service in the armoured cruiser Northampton as a Midshipman. She was flagship of the North America and West Indies Squadron; based at Halifax, the ship visited Quebec, Bermuda, Antigua, Barbados and other colonies.
During the two years in which Bruen served in her, the Northampton flew the flags of Admirals Sir Francis Leopold McClintock, the polar explorer, and Sir John Commerel. One of his fellow midshipmen was “Barge” Goodenough, who recalled that the friends he made on that commission remained his friends for life. They were entertained by the eccentricities of their seniors, grateful for small kindnesses shown to them, enjoyed practical jokes and sometimes became embroiled in brawls with the locals. Over the following twenty years he was appointed to a variety of ships, mostly battleships and cruisers, deployed at different home stations and in the Mediterranean; the battleships Alexandra and Superb in the Mediterranean (1883-85), the battleship Edinburgh in the Jubilee Squadron (1887), the cruiser Melampus (1893), the armoured cruiser Edgar (1894-96) and the battleships Anson and Howe (1897–1901).
 
Officers were assessed on the criteria of general conduct, ability, zeal, judgement, temper, professional knowledge, temperance, physical qualities and performance of special duties. Bruen was assessed very highly in all categories except for physical qualities; he was rather small and it was noted that he had a weak physique. He studied French and Spanish and comments from this early part of his career recorded that he was “zealous and painstaking” and “an excellent signals officer.”

A number of his senior officers recommended him for promotion and he was promoted sub-lieutenant in 1886 and lieutenant in 1889. His record was not unblemished. In March 1886 he was “blamed for a grave error of judgement committed in connection with the foundering of the sailing pinnace of Edgarby, in which 48 lives were lost consequent on his unskilful management.” However, his career survived this mishap and in January 1900 his commanding officer, Captain Wilson, reported “A very smart, reliable 1st Lieutenant – I should like to have him with me as Commander.”

Duly promoted to Commander in 1901, Bruen was next appointed to the cruisers Arrogant, Doris and Pandora in the Channel Squadron. Here he caught the eye of fellow-Irishman Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, one of the most influential officers in the Royal Navy, who wrote of him in 1904; “I have the highest opinion of his efficiency and skill; have not a better man in the fleet.” Bruen was then appointed to command the light cruiser Surprise, employed as a despatch vessel, and promoted to Captain in 1906. Captain Bruen then took a series of courses to prepare him for command of major warships: Signals, the War Course, Torpedoes and Gunnery. These courses were interspersed with command of the armoured cruiser Amphitrite (1907) and the light cruiser Highflyer (1908). 

In December 1910 Bruen became Flag Captain to Admiral Sir William May in the armoured cruiser Powerful. In 1912 he assisted in setting up the Royal Australian Navy. Admiral King-Hall reported “Has rendered great service during turning over of Australian part of the station … also by encouraging and assisting the officers in command of ships of the Royal Australian Navy … An officer of great zeal, professional ability and tact.” Whilst in Australia, on 12 September 1912, in Sydney, he married Constance, the daughter of Admiral E. C. Drummond of Eskhill, Angus.

Captain Bruen was appointed to command the Bellerophon in August 1913. She was in the first class of modern battleships to be built after the Dreadnought herself. Her only action was the Battle of Jutland, fought on the afternoon of 31 May 1916 and the following night. When Jellicoe deployed the Battle Fleet from cruising formation into a single line of battle at about 6 pm, Bellerophon was fourteenth, near the centre of the British line. In the course of the battle Bellerophon fired sixty-two shells from her 12-inch guns and fourteen rounds of 4-inch. She was not hit herself and suffered no casualties. She was credited with hits on the battlecruiser Derfflinger and claimed an enemy destroyer.

Captain Bruen handled his ship well in the battle. Sturdee reported, “An excellent Captain of a battleship in all respects. Keen and capable, with nerve and command. Good tact and judgement. Will do well as a flag officer in command at sea.” Bruen was mentioned in despatches, and France awarded him the Legion of Honour.

In August 1916 Bruen was appointed to command the newly completed battleship Resolution. In May 1917 he was appointed to be a naval aide-de-camp to the King, and on 28 November 1917, he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral. In February 1918 he took command of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, flying his flag in the Minotaur, last of the Royal Navy's large armoured cruisers. Later that year he was appointed to be a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He also received further honours from the Allies, with decorations from Russia and Japan.

On 1 February 1919, he became Rear-Admiral of the Portsmouth Reserve. After taking the Senior Officers' Course, in May 1920 Bruen was appointed Director of Naval Equipment at the Admiralty. He was superceded in this position in May 1922 and promoted to Vice-Admiral in November 1922. He retired in October 1924 after a naval career of 44 years. He was promoted to Admiral on the retired list in 1927.

One of his junior officers in the Bellerophon was particularly impressed by his calm and imperturbable manner, both on the bridge during the battle and at a lesser crisis on 6 March 1917, as Bellerophon was preparing to leave on a sweep: “A short while after Jutland I was taught an example of how to conduct yourself under stress. I was Midshipman of the Watch on the bridge at the time. We were waiting to weigh anchor when a commander came up to Captain Bruen. I could see he was rattled. The captain was watching the flagship through his glasses, waiting for the signal to come down. The commander said, “Captain, I beg your pardon, sir, I'm sorry to report that the Captain of Marines has just shot himself,” and then he said, “No, he's not shot himself, sir, he's cut his throat.” Captain Bruen just lowered his glasses, slowly looked at the commander and said, “Oh, cut his throat has he, cut it badly?” The commander said, “I'm sorry sir, I'm afraid he's dead.” “Oh, dead is he? Well, see to it, Commander, will you” and then he turned his gaze to the flagship and in the same voice said, “Signal, weigh anchor.” That was quite a lesson.” (Brian de Courcy-Ireland, quoted in The True Glory: the Royal Navy 1914-1939)
 
Following his retirement, Bruen lived at the Croft, Great Bealings, Suffolk where he played a prominent part in local affairs as a Justice of the Peace and president of the Suffolk branch of the British Legion. He was a Director of the British Sailors Society and a member of the Naval and Military Club. He died on 22 November 1952 whilst on holiday in Eskhill, Scotland.

Sold with full research including copied record of service, newspaper obituary and a number of copied photographs.