D. Bruce Ross
{{Short description|Australian Supreme Court judge}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
Sir Dudley Bruce Ross {{post-nominals|country=AUS|KC|}} (21 May 1892 – 19 November 1984), generally referred to as Bruce or D. Bruce Ross, was an Australian judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia from 1952 to 1963. He served in both World Wars, and was knighted in 1962.
Early life and education
Dudley Bruce Ross was born on 21 May 1892 in the Adelaide suburb of North Adelaide,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92291843 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=South Australian Chronicle |volume=XXXIV |issue=1,762 |location=South Australia |date=28 May 1892 |accessdate=19 December 2023 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} the only son of William Alexander Ross (died 28 October 1894){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44111244 |title=An old Barrierite dead. |newspaper=Barrier Miner |volume=7 |issue=2052 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=31 October 1894 |access-date=19 December 2023 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia| quote= He was a son-in-law of Mr. T. J. S. O'Halloran, S.M., of South Australia.}} and Annie Isabella Ross,{{citation | title=ROSS Dudley Bruce : Service Number - 30001 | date=1914 | url=https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8038277| publisher= National Archives of Australia | access-date=19 December 2023 | page=}} née O'Halloran (27 April 1863 – February 1937), who married on 8 May 1888.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article160777159 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=Adelaide Observer |volume=XLV |issue=2432 |location=South Australia |date=12 May 1888 |access-date=19 December 2023 |page=24 |via=National Library of Australia}} {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47273004 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=South Australian Register |volume=LIII |issue=12,944 |location=South Australia |date=9 May 1888 |access-date=19 December 2023 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} His father died when he was very young, and he was brought up by his mother, a granddaughter of Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran, in the home of her father T. J. S. O'Halloran{{cn|date=December 2023}} at 177 Childers Street, North Adelaide.
He attended Queen's School, North Adelaide, followed by St Peter's College. He then studied law at the University of Adelaide, graduated LLB, and was admitted to the bar on 17 December 1914.
WW1
Ross enlisted with the Australian Army on 29 February 1916 and embarked from Melbourne with reinforcements for 120 Howitzer Battery on 2 October. He served in France and Belgium as a gunner with the 13th Field Artillery Brigade, with 113 Howitzer Battery, later 51 Artillery Battery and 50 Battery. He returned to Australia and was discharged from the AIF on 4 December 1919.{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1237964 |title=German rail carriage notice : Gunner D B Ross, 13 Field Artillery Brigade, AIF |publisher=Australian War Memorial |access-date=14 May 2021}}
Career
In 1921 Ross joined with his uncle T. S. O'Halloran in partnership as O'Halloran & Ross.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article99922219 |title=Personal and Anecdotal |newspaper=The Sunday Mail (Brisbane) |issue=229 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=16 October 1927 |access-date=19 December 2023 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}
He was a member of the Council of Law Society from 1936 to 1952 and its president 1947–1949.
During the Second World War, Ross served as a legal officer, with the rank of captain.
He was appointed King's Counsel,{{cite web | last=Logan | first=John |author-link= John Logan (judge)| title=Keeping the peace of the realm | website=Federal Court of Australia | date=29 April 2022 | url=https://www.fedcourt.gov.au/digital-law-library/judges-speeches/justice-logan/logan-j-20220429#_ftn2 | access-date=19 December 2023}} [https://law.adelaide.edu.au/ua/media/2425/alr_432_16_logan.pdf PDF] and was appointed to the Supreme Court Bench on 20 November 1952, where he served as judge until 21 May 1963.
Other interests and activities
Ross was initiated into the SA Freemasons on 14 Nov 1921 in the St Peter's Collegiate Lodge, and was a Grand Master of his lodge from 1959 to 1964.{{cite web | title=Large List of Notable and Famous Australian Freemasons | website=Lodge Devotion 723 | date=24 June 1942 | url=https://www.lodgedevotion.net/devotion-newsletter-content/famous-australian-freemasons/large-list-of-notable-and-famous-australian-freemasons | access-date=19 December 2023}}
He was a member of the Anglican Church and served as chancellor for the Diocese of Adelaide and of Willochra for 27 years.
He was president of the Law Society of South Australia from 1947 to 1959, of the Church of England Boys Home from 1945 to 1973, and of the Kindergarten Union of South Australia.
Honours
In 1953 Ross was presented with a Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.{{cite web| title= GRG 24/157 Index cards to recipients of Coronation Medals| url=https://www.archives.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/829758/GRG24_157_index-cards-to-recipients-of-coronation-medals.pdf| publisher = State Records of South Australia| date= 27 October 2016}}
He was created a Knight Bachelor in the 1962 New Year Honours.{{Cite web |title=Judge Dudley Bruce Ross |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1083082|access-date=2021-05-16|website=It's An Honour}}{{cite web | title=Supplement to The London Gazette: Issue 42552, 29 December 1961 | website=The London Gazette | date=29 December 1961 | url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/42552/page/1 | access-date=19 December 2023}}
Personal life
Ross married Margaret Eleanor Waterhouse (6 June 1891 – 20 November 1848) on 21 July 1920. Margaret was a daughter of Herbert Whitney Waterhouse (1860–1928), closely associated with the Cheer-Up Society (as was T.J.S. O'Halloran) and Minda Home.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129160485 |title=Death of Mr Waterhouse |newspaper=The News (Adelaide) |volume=X |issue=1,407 |location=South Australia |date=17 January 1928 |accessdate=15 May 2021 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} They had a home in Collinswood.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45794379 |title=About People |newspaper=The Advertiser (Adelaide) |volume=94 |issue=29,079 |location=South Australia |date=22 December 1951 |accessdate=15 May 2021 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}