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Australia

Bruce was the third generation of his family to reside in the Campbelltown district, to the north-east of Adelaide. He was born on the 4th March 1919 to Charles Nicholas and Ethel Maud McShane. Bruce had two siblings, an older sister Gweneth Alma and younger brother, Reginald Edward.
Bruce’s grandfather, Nicholas was born in Guernsey and arrived in South Australia in 1841. He was widely regarded as a pioneer colonist. Initially he worked as a teamster at the Burra-Burra Mines, then at Moonta, before heading to Campbeltown. There he was involved in constructing the Thorndon Park Reservoir, after which he took up land, setting up the family market gardening business. He was also heavily involved as a representative in District Council, representing the local Campbeltown Ward and was chairman on several occasions. Additionally, he acted as the district constable in the 1980’s, being in this capacity when a body was found in the nearby Torrens River.
Bruce’s father, also named Nicholas Jnr followed in his father’s footsteps, including being appointed to the Local Board of Health after Nicholas Snr resigned. He also served as the Campbelltown Council member. The family was honoured with a street being named after them and where his grandchildren lived. (Unfortunately, this suburb was incorrectly written as ‘Cambelltown’ without the silent ‘p’ in the official spelling when Bruce later enlisted.).
Post school, Bruce was employed in the family’s gardening business. As did many young men, 20-year-old Bruce joined the Militia as S7045 and from there as a 21-year-old, went on to enlist to serve in WWII in July ’41. He was given the number SX8053 and allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion.
Bruce’s sister, Gwen married George Rothney who enlisted as PA1929 in November ‘40, becoming an Able Seaman serving with HMAS Torrens and HMAS Encounter. Younger brother, Reginald had undertaken studies in Commercial Law at the Adelaide University in the latter stages of the 1930’s. However, on turning twenty, he also enlisted in February ’42 at Port Adelaide as PA2665 becoming a Leading Seaman on the same vessels as George.
Bruce’s early days were spent training at the current Adelaide Showgrounds, then at Woodside in the Hills. With a week of pre-embarkation leave with his family, Bruce then embarked on the Stratheden in November ’40, arriving in the Middle East on the 17th December. He was unfortunate to contract tonsillitis and spent a week in hospital until the start of ’42.
Back home, In the early years of the war, Zelda Melville married Gerald Grant on the 9th May ’42. Whilst serving in England as 416953 with the Airforce in the 460 Squadron. he was killed in a Flying Battle on the 21st February ’44 in the United Kingdom. His death was widely reported. ‘Mrs. G. A. Grant, of Cardigan avenue, Payneham, has been informed that her husband, Flt-Sgt. Graham Athol Grant, 24, lost his life on February 21 on his return to the United Kingdom after operations over Germany. He was the captain of a Lancaster bomber. Flt-Sgt. Grant was the only child of Mrs. M. H. Grant, of Highgate. He has left an infant son. He had been a member of the forces since September, 1939.’
In the Middle East, Bruce, known to his mates as ‘Sandy’, undertook specialist training over August and September of ’42 before re-joining the 2/48th in September. It was a frenetic time for the battalion over October and November. Bruce was wounded in what was described as a ‘Mild gunshot wound to his right thigh’ and right wrist. The ‘mild’ was a reflection of the high number of men killed or wounded at that time. Sergeant Bill Kibby, SX7089 earned his Victoria Cross, but lost his life. In total 48 men from the 2/48th were killed in this battle for El Alamein.
In his book ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ John Glenn describes that time “which was to be the most bitter and bloody fighting of the war. When next the sun drove away those shadows from the desert, death would have reaped a rich harvest of gallant men. And of the 2/48th Battalion only forty-one weary troops would remain in the field.” He continued: “At zero hour, 1 a.m. 31st October, the artillery opened up with a receding barrage – one that creeps back on itself. The attack was towards the guns themselves, the enemy being between the troops and the guns… Added to this, the troops came under heavy shell fire as they were forming up, and suffered casualties before they commenced their attack… One gun was landing shells right amongst the men. As soon as the main road was reached the two leading companies came under murderous fire, and from then until they reached their objective, 2,250 yards from the start line, the whole advance was fought in fierce hand-to-hand fighting.” His final summing up was ‘Truly it can be said of these men, “They fought themselves and their enemy to a standstill until flesh and blood could stand no more, then they went on fighting.”
In added high praise about those who tended the wounded and collected those killed in action “It says much for them that not one man was missing in their search over the four thousand yards from Trig 29 to the Blockhouse, or in the attack of 3,600 yards to Ring Contour 25.” An horrific battle for the proud and very brave 2/48th Battalion. A small band of forty-one men, some of whom were wounded, was all that remained of these proud Rats of Tobruk.
The Advertiser published a list in November of those killed. They included SX11133 Pte. Gordon J. Bowden. 2/48th North Adelaide. SX7296 Cpl. Roland Bryant. 2/48th . Seacliff. SX7000 A-Cpl. Paul W. Cashen. 2/48th Mile End. SX4129 Pte. Alfred J. Clarke. 2/48th South Plympton. 5X6913 Pte. E. V. Lipson. Inf. Semaphore SX2328 Cpl. Percival C. Millowick, 2/43rd. Glencoe West. SX6775 Pte. Vincent deP. McGahan. 2/48th Glenelg. SX13102 Pte. Thomas V. McMullin. 2/48th North Adelaide. SX13717 Pte. Robert C. Neilson 2/43rd Norwood. SX10522 Pte. Murray T. Nicholson 2/48th Prospect. SX8143 Pte Harry S. Searle. 2/48th Died of Wounds. — SX8979 Cpt. Bryan J. Hemmings, 2/43rd Kalangadoo; SX15837 Pte. Richard D. Hill. 2/43rd Whyalla. Believed Killed SX13512 Pte. Charles E. Dolling. 2/48th Wokurna.
Bruce was named in a further list, after ‘Dangerously Wounded’ in the ‘Wounded in Action’ category of 22 men. However, he returned to his depleted battalion within a week, after being detached for special duties.
Finally, the battle hardened and sadly depleted Battalion were able to return to Australia via Melbourne. Much needed leave followed before the men again assembled to be sent to Queensland for training in tropical conditions in preparation for being sent to New Guinea to face a very different enemy.
Bruce arrived in Milne Bay on the 6th August ’43 and was promotion to A/Corporal in January ’44 before returning to Australia via Brisbane the following month. With frustrations beginning to emerge, Bruce lost his promotional position, returning to the rank of Private, following a charge of ‘conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline.’
Later that year, he lacerated his finger in an accident that caused him to have a few days’ treatment before being able to return to his battalion early in December.
By the following February, Bruce sailed from Cairns, returning to Morotai to serve in Tarakan. At that time, sensing victory and with the war drawing to a close, more detail was shared of conditions experienced by the soldiers. Reporting for the Advertiser, Noel Adams wrote in the May ’45 issue a detailed accounts of the taking of Tarakan “Against bitterly sustained opposition, the Australians have fought their way into the town of Tarakan, and now dominate the town and the Pamoesian oilfield round which it is built. Two small pockets on Tarakan Hill, the key to the town, remain to be cleared, and the enemy is also holding out on the western outskirts; but to all intents and purposes the town is already in our hands. The battle for the airstrip three miles north of the town is being fought relentlessly on the jungle-covered ridges which overlook it. Australians near the airstrip are under heavy fire from the Japanese, who are strongly entrenched above it on a feature known as Rippon Ridge.”
The article also described the tunnels, pillboxes and trenches created by the enemy and the heavily mined roads. Later in the article the 2/48th also featured, including the role of Sgt Eric Gooden and Private ‘Sandy’ McShane. It read in part;
“Use Of Flamethrowers FLAME THROWERS are being used to clear the immensely strong pillboxes and tunnels from which the Japanese are fighting. One of the first to use this weapon was Lt. Harry Freame. of Crow's Nest Sydney. Lt Freame's platoon came up against a pillbox built of steel and overlaid with 15ft. of earth. From its base deep in the ground passages led up to firing slits just above the surface. The Australians surrounded the pillbox and hurled grenades into it while Lt. Freame, carrying a flamethrower, crawled on top, and, leaning over, sent a jet ot flame through one of the slits. He heard screams and flooded the pillbox with fire again. There was an explosion and the pillbox blew outwards. Another pillbox which had held up our advance in one sector for a day and a half, was cleaned up in the same way by Pte. "Sandy" McShane. of Seaton Park, Adelaide. McShane’s section, led by Sgt. Eric Gooden. of Fullarton, Adelaide. got forward to a range at which McShane's flamethrower could be used. The noise of the flamethrower being prepared was heard by the Japanese, and one came out to investigate. Gooden shot him, and at the same time McShane turned the flamethrower on the pillbox. Three Japanese ran from the rear of the pillbox One was shot by a Bren gunner, Basil Styles. of Highbury, WA. and the other two ran into another Australian position and were also wiped out. So strong are many of the Japanese positions on Tarakan and so ingenious the arrangement of their defence, that, failing tank support because of Jungle swamp and mines, or direct hits by gunfire, or bombing, flamethrowers alone are capable of dealing with them. Their tunnels are labyrinths dug far back into the hillsides with room for, perhaps, two platoons of men. Those captured on Tarakan Hill on Friday were guarded by large steel doors.”
Of the three mentioned in the article, only Bruce survived. Despite surviving war in the Middle East, 40-year-old Eric was killed by a sniper at Tarakan on the 6th May 1945. Henry “Harry” Freame was killed on the 8th May ’45 in Tarakan whilst in hospital with an abscessed tooth. A Japanese soldier crept into the ward and threw a shell under Harry’s bed, killing him instantly.
By October, Bruce’s war was over and he returned to Australia via Brisbane and formally discharged from the 2/48th back in South Australia on the 26th. His younger brother, Reg was discharged soon after, on the 25th June ’46.
Bruce married the widow, Zelda Jessie Jean Grant on the 2nd November 1946 in the Payneham Methodist Church. Charles arrived in December ’48 a brother for David.
Aged 71, Bruce died on the 3rd January 1991 and was buried in the Cemetery of St Martin’s Anglican Church at Campbeltown. Zelda lived to be 72 and died in 1994. She now lies with Bruce.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.

Bruce Charles McShane was born on 4th March, 1919, and raised on his family's market garden in McShane Street, Campbelltown, South Australia. Bruce was the middle child and eldest son of Charles Nicholas and Ethel Maude (nee Sadler) McShane. He had two siblings, the eldest, Gwenneth Alma, and youngest, Reginald Edward. Bruce's father was the son of Irish pioneer settlers in Campbelltown who purchased market gardening land in McShane Street.

Bruce attended Payneham Primary School (now a community centre), did not undertake secondary education options, choosing to join his father, Uncle Hubert McShane and Hubert's son Frank McShane (Corporal SX 23210/S6114, 2/4th Armoured Regiment, enlisted 28/07/1942), and pursue his preference to work on the market garden.

Bruce's younger brother Reginald, was not remotely interested in the land nor horses. Reginald served on H.M.A.S. Murkha, LDG Asst., PA 2665, enlisted on 24/02/1942.

Post war, Reginald pursued an academic career, attending Adelaide University graduating as a Chartered Accountant. He married Marion Robey from Sydney, had three sons, and passed away in his mid-forties as a result of chronic kidney disease.

Gwenneth's husband, George Thoms Rothney, PA 1929, enlisted on 18/11/1940 and served as an Able Seaman on H.M.A.S. Canberra, sunk during the Battle for Savo, supporting American landings at Guadacanal. Gearge then transferred to Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships for the remainder of the war.

Bruce's first cousin, Edward Doyle, service no. 23419, Able Seaman, was lost on H.M.A.S. Sydney, 20/11/41, aged 19 years.

Bruce was 21 years of age and unmarried when he enlisted on 05/07/1940, with the 2/48th, and was 26 years of age when discharged from war service at the end of the war on 26/10/1945.

Bruce was nick-named "Sandy" a name that would endure as a "Rat of Tobruk" and member of the highly decorated 2/48th Battalion. He was also present at the Japanese surrender at
Tarakan. He received shrapenel wounds at Tobruk, fragments of which remained in his body for his lifetime.

Bruce's pre-war Encounter Bay friend, Geoff Rumbelow, SX 8057, also enlisted on yhe same day as Bruce, 05/07/1940. Both were barracked at yhe Wayville Showgrounds prior to embarking for war service, and remained lifetime friends, as did Arnolg Thomas, an indigenous membrr of the 2/48th.

Apart from more sombre war service memories, Bruce recalled a light hearted moment when he came face to face with an adult orangatang on a jungle track. Gwenneth also recalled Bruce coming home on leave, walking up Hill Street, together. Bruce fell prostrate to the ground at the sound of an aircraft passing overhead. No doubt an impulse reaction to combat experience at Tobruk.

Post war Bruce returned to the family home and market garden in McShane Street, until he married Zelda (nee Melville) Grant shortly after the war. Bruce adopted Zelda's young son, David, whose father was killed in action in the Battle of Britain. Their son Nicholas completed their family of two boys.

Bruce and Zelda's post war home was built on the corner of Hill Street/McShane Street, adjacent to the McShane Hill Street market garden, and is still standing today.

Bruce and his father Charles were interested in trotting horses and pursued this hobby for the duration of their ownership of their Campbelltown market gardens.

Early in the 1950's the market gardens were sold to housing developers. Frank McShane relocated to a farm at Penola in the Lower South East. Hubert and Charles retired and remained living in their family homes in McShane Street.

Bruce purchased farming/irrigation land at Langhorne's Creek. The original two storey colonial rra home in which Bruce and his family lived, together with the stone sheds on the property are now a Lanhorne's Creek Boutique Winery.

After Bruce sold his Langhorne's Creek property, he purchased a small block at McLaren Vale. In latter years Bruce and Zelda lived at Christies Beach. Bruce worked for the Highways. He finally relocated and returned to his familiar market gardening territory, residing and retiring at Paradise. He sufferred from cardiac arrest at his Paradise home which ended his life.

Bruce passed away on 04/01/1991, his ashes are buried alongside those of Zelda, in St Martins Heritage Cemetary, corner of Gorge Road, the resting place of many Pioneer market gardening families, the McShanes and their relatives included.

story forwarded by Bruce' niece, Georgene Rothney.