Being shot in the face was the best part of his day: 1 July 1915.

Capt (later Major-General) George Bruce. Note the scar on his cheek. Photo: Orson Fry.

This month marks the birthday of this great man, and the 90th Anniversary of the Regiment of which he was the 'founding father'.

I've been immersed in Capt George Bruce (ex Lincolnshire Regiment) recently as I put the finishing touches to my book about the Malay Regiment and its colourful colonial origins. (The Malay Experiment: The Colonial Origins and Homegrown Heroics of the Malay Regiment).

What an incredible character -- you can see the scar here, a souvenir from being shot in the face in the Battle of the Somme! And that was almost the best part of that day for him, as things stumbled from bad to even unimaginably worse. 1 July 1915 was considered the worst day in British military history at the time. Capt Bruce would probably agree! Because he was then machine-gunned in the chest, left to die on a stretcher in the open for 12 hours, etc, etc.

He led from the front in all he did -- for example taking 7 wickets for 21 in a cricket match for the Malay Regiment vs a club team, then smashing the last ball for the winning runs, to end up 64 runs not out on the day. Just that kind of a guy.

He was a bit of a swordsman, too, having fathered a child on the banks of a river following a regimental ball in Naintal, India. Then later, on leave in London he met actress Diana Hance -- 20 years his junior -- and they were married two weeks later! Then sailed back to his posting in Malaya as a married couple. Pictured is their married quarters in Port Dickson on the west coast, where the Malay Regiment was based.

Major Bruce and his wife, Diana Hance, and their married quarters on base at Port Dickson c 1936. Photo: Orson Fry.

Still, the discipline and military bearing he brought to his work was unquestionable, and he received an MBE for contributions to the military in Malaya and the homegrown heroics he inspired there. He went on to do even more great things in Africa and Burma, reaching the rank of Major-General, and packing several lifetimes of adventure into one before passing away at the relatively young age of 66.

Can't wait to share this full story with the world because there are so many fascinating aspects to it. Book and audiobook in production now, and will be available soon.