Died: Following a car crash in Grantham, Lincs
Address / Local links: 1 Somerset Avenue, Welling
Family / Relatives: Son of James Lawrence and Louisa May Dogan of Welling
Local Papers / Websites: BHO 26th May 1944. https://www.paradata.org.uk/people/bruce-c-dogan
Other Information: Attended Blackfen Central School. A Repairman for Bexley Corporation.
“The semi-military funeral took place at Bexleyheath Cemetery” was a line from Private Bruce Dogan’s obituary in the local papers, which suggests an unconventional casualty story, and so it proved as our researcher has discovered…
“After initial service with the Royal West Kents, Pte Dogan volunteered for airborne forces and completed Parachute Course 36 in Nov 1942. Posted to 2nd Parachute Battalion, Pte Dogan continued to serve in the UK…” was an official report, but a newspaper cutting from The Grantham Journal of 12th May 1944 (pictured) tells a sadder story…
As you can see, it appears that Bruce Dogan stole an American jeep on a Saturday night in Grantham and died later in hospital after a fatal crash…
(The local newspaper report from the Bexleyheath Observer may also throw some more light on the event – it mentions that flowers wee sent to his funeral by Violet (‘fiancee, of Grantham’) so perhaps this suggests more of the story?…)
“On 7th May 1944, Pte Dogan was tragically killed in a crash when a Jeep he had “borrowed” from the USAAF crashed into a gas lamp in Grantham, Lincs. Pte Dogan died some 11 hours later from lacerations to the brain…”
This was from more official sources.
From the press report, we know more about Bruce’s life before the accident – he’d studied at Blackfen Central School and worked as a Repairman for Bexley Corporation. He’d volunteered early in the war (his father being in the armed services for 20 years) and his brother was also serving in the Paratroops. Bruce had previously seen service in north Africa, Sicily and Italy…”He came home last Christmas and was to have been married…”
Bruce Clarence Dogan
Bruce was born in Holborn in 1924. The Dogan family had moved to Welling by the time of the start of war in 1939.
Our researcher has discovered more about his parents;
James Lawrence DOGAN was born on 28 May 1893 in Wrexham. His father was a grocer’s carter.
On 26 September 1910 he was a Royal Irish Regiment. He appeared in the census in 1911 in Alderney with Royal Irish Regiment. He married Louisa May CLARK in 1920 in St Pancras.
In 1921 he lived in 31 Regent Square, St Pancras. He was a Tram conductor with LCC. In 1983 he lived in 21 Somerset Avenue. Welling. He died on 27 August 1983 in Brook Hospital, Greenwich.
Louisa May CLARK was born on 28 May 1894 in London. In 1939 she lived in 21 Somerset Avenue. Welling. She died in 1975 in Guernsey.
They had one other son apart from Bruce – James Herbert DOGAN (1921-1983). James was born on 11 February 1921 in Holborn. He married Vera Frances SMITH in 1945 in Wantage. In 1963 he lived in 21 Faygate Crescent, Bexleyheath. In 1983 he lived in 21 Faygate Crescent. He was a Metal worker. He died on 17 August 1983 in Dartford.
Bexleyheath Cemetery
As the obituary report tells us, his family and other mourners attended the funeral at Bexleyheath Cemetery on 15th May. His headstone there (pictured) reads
A LIGHT IS GONE
A VOICE WE LOVED IS STILLED
A PLACE IS VACANT
WHICH CAN NEVER BE FILLED
Pictured also are a classroom at Blackfen Central School as Bruce may have known it, the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment HQ Company in 1942, and Bexleyheath Cemetery.
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If anyone is able to add any extra information, provide more family details, or suggest any corrections, please let us know – also, if anyone has any more photos of this individual listed on our memorials, please get in touch. Thank you
Commemorated
- Welling War Memorial
- Bexleyheath Cemetery
This story has been researched by volunteers. We have taken every effort to ensure its accuracy. If you are related to Bruce Clarence Dogan, or if you have any further information, please do get in touch.