/back

Edward Francis Bruen C.B J.P
1st Chairman: Admiral Royal Navy

Medals
Commander of the Bath, breast badge
1914 - 15 Star (Captain RN)
British War Medal (R.Adml)
Victory Medal with MID (R.Adml)
Legion of Honour, 4th Class, Officer's badge (France)
Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd Class (Japan)
Order of St Anne, 2nd Class (Russia)

E.F Bruen was born on 7 November 1866, the second son of the Right Honourable Henry of Oak Park, Ireland. He was educated at Stubbington's House, a naval preparatory school at Farnham, Hampshire and in January 1880 he became a cadet at HMS Britannia on the River Dart.

Midshipman Bruen began his sea gong service in the armoured cruiser Northampton, on the North American Station. Over the 20 years he served in a variety of ships, mostly battleships and cruisers, alternating between various stations in the United Kingdom and the Mediterranean Fleet.

In 1918 Rear Admiral Bruen was appointed Commander of the Order of Bath, in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. He was also honoured by the Allies, Russia (1917) and Japan (1918). From 1920 to 1922 he was Director of Naval Equipment at the Admiralty. He was promoted to Vice Admiral in 1922, and retired at his own request in October 1924, after a naval career of 44 years.

Following his retirement, he lived at The Croft, Great Bealings, Suffolk. He was a Justice of the Peace, and a member of the Naval and Military Club. He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 1st August 1927.

Admiral Bruen died on the 22nd November 1952.

Information kindly supplied by C.G Bilham, Hong Kong.