🇦🇺Vietnam War Stories: Honouring the Life and Service of Private Bruce John Robertson of New South Wales
Today we honor the service of Private Bruce John Robertson of Cardiff New South Wales who served with the Australian Reinforcement Unit.
Bruce worked as an industrial electrician at the Newcastle works of Stewarts & Lloyds pipe and tube manufacturers. In 1968 he married Pamela Joan McDonald. The couple had one son Darren. As a National Serviceman Bruce entered Singleton Army Base on Wednesday the 28th January 1970 for recruit and Corps training which lasted 6 months. He left for Vietnam at 11pm from Sydney International Airport on Wednesday the 16th of December 1970.
On the 17th of January 1971 Bruce was on patrol sitting on an APC watching a bushman scout put some rubbish into the bushes on the side of the track when the scout stepped on 100lbs of high explosives and Private Robertson was hit by the blast in the left side of face and down left arm. As a result, Bruce was critically injured and lost his left eye, suffered shrapnel wounds to his face, neck and arm and perforated eardrums.
He was stabilized at the 1st Australian Field Hospital, Vung Tau.
Bruce was then medevaced to Butterworth RAAF Hospital, then to Singapore Changi and then on to Sydney’s Concord Hospital.
Bruce eventually recovered and was fitted with a prosthetic eye.
My father returned to civilian life and he returned to work at Stewarts & Lloyds Newcastle as an electrician.
On the 29th of January 1975, Bruce was killed in an industrial accident at work as a direct result of his war injuries.He was 28 years of age. Bruce left behind his wife Pamela and infant son, Darren. Private Robertson was laid to rest at Newcastle Memorial Park in Beresfield, NSW.
Lest We Forget.
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Original post and photo submitted by Darren Robertson in honour of his father.
