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Name: ROOKEN-Smith, William Bruce Weir 'Bruce'
Nee: son of William Harold Rooken-Smith
Birth Date: 3 June 1938 Nakuru
Death Date: November 2022 South Africa
Profession: Regular soldier
Area: Kaptagat
Married: 1. In Faversham, Kent 1 June 1963 Christine Mary Arnott Johnson b. Market Harborough 5 June 1941 2. In Salisbury, Rhodesia 21 Mar 1970 Jennifer Ann Gait-Smith b. 20 Jan 1941
Children: Anne Carolyn Love (19 Nov 1963, dau of Adrienne May Love). 1. June Alice (11 Mar 1964 BMH, Rinteln, BAOR); Sarah May (3 Mar 1965 BMH, Rinteln, BAOR) 2. William Peter Gant b. 17 Sep 1972 Salisbury
Book Reference: Bruce Rooken-Smith
School: Duke of York, Nairobi
General Information:
Bruce Rooken-Smith Bruce attended the Duke of York School, Nairobi where in his final year he was captain of rugby - he attained colours in rugby, hockey, soccer and boxing. He attended the one-year course at the Royal Agricultura1 College at Cirencester, Gloustershire, England and attained his hockey colours. On his return to Kenya he managed his father's farm at Kaptagat before undergoing national service training at the Kenya Regiment Training Centre at Lanet, near Nakuru, Kenya. MacMillan's "Wind of Change" speech put paid to any further investinent in Kenya and he was encouraged to enlist into the British Army, preferably into a polo-playing regiment. Colonel Humphrey Guinness wanted him to join the Scots Greys but after completing the Officer Cadet Course at Mona, Aldershot he joined the 17th/21st Lancers in Hong Kong where he served before postings to Aden, Bahrein, BAOR and lastly at the Royal Armoured Corps Driving and Maintenance School in Bovington. Whilst the Regiment was in Aden he attended a D&M Course at Bovington during which time he met Christine Mary Arnott Johnstone, eldest daughter of Lt. Col (retd) Arnott A. and Rosalind Johnstone. From Aden the Regiment was to relocate to Sennelager in West Germany and Bruce was in the Advance Party. Whilst in Gernany Bruce was involved with Adrienne May Love [DOB: 24.01. 1934] who worked with the WVS in the 17/2 I L Barracks - Anne Carolyn resulted from this liaison. Adrienne married Kenneth Maxwell Tyler Gerrish 26.01.1971. In June 1963, Bruce and Christine were married in Kent and moved into married quarters in Sennelager. June and Sarah were born at the British Military Hospital, Rinteln, British Army of the Rhine. Whi1st with the 17/21 Lancers he served as a tank troop leather, recce troop leader and squadron 2IC. He was posted to Bovington where his marriage ended in divorce; Christine marrying Michael Wright of the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars they lived in Northern Ireland. After his divorce Bruce joined the Rhodesian Light Infantry in the rank of Captain in March 1968. In 1968 he met Jennifer Ann Gait-Smith, youngest child of Neville and Joan Gait-Smith.