Bruce Shand facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bruce Shand MC & Bar DL
Birth name	Bruce Middleton Hope Shand
Born	(1917-01-22)22 January 1917 London, England
Died	11 June 2006(2006-06-11) (aged 89) Stourpaine, Dorset, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1937–1947
Rank	Major
Commands held	HQ Squadron, Half Squadron of 12th Lancers, "C" Squadron
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	MC and bar
Spouse(s)	Rosalind Cubitt ​ ​ (m. 1946; died 1994)​
Children	Camilla, Queen of the United Kingdom Annabel Elliot Mark Shand
Relations	Philip Morton Shand (father) Edith Marguerite Harrington (mother) Elspeth Howe (half-sister)
Other work	Deputy Lieutenant of Sussex Vice-Lieutenant of East Sussex Exon and Adjutant of the Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard

Bruce Middleton Hope Shand (born January 22, 1917 – died June 11, 2006) was a brave officer in the British Army. He fought in France during the Second World War as part of the British forces. He is also known as the father of Queen Camilla.

After the war, he became a wine merchant, someone who sells wine. He also held important local roles, like being the Vice-Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex from 1974 to 1992. He was also a Master of Foxhounds, which means he led fox hunting events.

Early Life and Education

Bruce Shand was born in London, England. His family was considered upper-class, meaning they had a high social standing and wealth. His ancestors had moved to England from Scotland.

He was the only son of Philip Morton Shand, who was a writer and critic focused on architecture. His father was friends with famous architects like Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier. Bruce's parents divorced when he was three years old. He didn't see his father again until he was 18. One of his half-sisters was Baroness Howe of Idlicote, whose husband was a well-known politician, Lord Howe of Aberavon.

Bruce's mother later remarried Herbert Charles Tippet, who designed golf courses. Bruce lived with his mother and stepfather in New York, USA, for a few years when he was young. He later returned to Britain for his education, which his grandparents helped pay for.

Bruce went to Rugby School, a famous boarding school, and then to Sandhurst, a military academy. At Sandhurst, he trained to become an army officer. In 1937, he officially joined the 12th Royal Lancers, a cavalry regiment, as a second lieutenant. He enjoyed activities like fox hunting, polo, and reading.

Serving in World War II

Bruce Shand became a lieutenant in 1940. He served in France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). His regiment, the 12th Lancers, used lightly armed armoured cars to scout ahead.

During the "Phoney War" (a quiet period at the start of the war), his regiment was stationed in France. When the German army launched its fast attack, known as the blitzkrieg, Bruce helped cover the retreat of British forces to Dunkirk. He was then evacuated back to England in May 1940. For his brave actions during this time, he was awarded the Military Cross (MC), a medal for bravery.

Later, in 1941, Bruce was sent to North Africa with his regiment. He was promoted to the temporary rank of captain. He earned his second Military Cross in January 1942 for his courage in covering a British retreat against a strong German attack.

He even met Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, before the Second Battle of El Alamein. In November 1942, his vehicle was attacked and destroyed. Bruce was wounded and captured by German forces, becoming a prisoner of war. He was held in a prison camp called Oflag IX A at Spangenberg Castle in Germany. He managed to escape when the Germans moved the prisoners. While he was a prisoner, he was promoted to the rank of captain.

Life After the War

After being freed in 1945, Bruce Shand returned to England. In 1946, he married Rosalind Cubitt. They had two daughters, Camilla (born 1947) and Annabel (born 1949), and a son, Mark (1951–2014).

In 1947, Bruce retired from the army due to a disability, but he was given the honorary rank of major. He lived in a country house in Plumpton, East Sussex, and later moved to Dorset.

Bruce had several business interests, including being a partner in a company that sold wine. He also reviewed military books for Country Life magazine. In 1990, he wrote his own war memoir called Previous Engagements. He also edited another officer's memoirs, titled One Young Soldier: The Memoirs of a Cavalryman, which was published in 1993.

He continued to be involved in public life, serving as a Deputy Lieutenant of Sussex and the Vice-Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex from 1974 to 1992. He loved fox hunting and was the Master of Southdown Fox Hounds for many years. He also held roles in the Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard, a ceremonial unit that guards the monarch.

Bruce Shand's wife, Rosalind, passed away in 1994. He died from cancer in 2006 at the age of 89, surrounded by his family.

Books by Bruce Shand

• Author. (1990). Previous Engagements. This book shares his own experiences from the war.
• Editor. (1993). One Young Soldier: The Memoirs of a Cavalryman. He helped put together the diaries of another army officer into this book.

Family Coat of Arms

Arms of Bruce Shand

Notes A coat of arms was granted to Bruce Middleton Hope Shand by the Court of the Lord Lyon. Adopted 1980 Crest A boar statant Azure armed and langued Gules his dexter forefoot resting on a mullet Gules Escutcheon Azure a Boar's Head erased behind the ears Argent armed and langued Or on a Chief engrailed Argent between two Mullets Gules a Cross crosslet fitchy Sable Symbolism This coat of arms was given to Bruce Shand in 1980. It includes symbols that connect to his family's history, like the boar's head, which might link to the Gordon family of Aberdeenshire. The stars (mullets) could represent family marriages. The cross is a unique symbol added just for Major Shand.