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Ten Broeke, Melville, Edmonton, Alberta. Medals/Honours: Military Cross (MC) and Bar. Occupation: Civil Engineer. Military Cross and Bar, Military Service: Private, Corporal, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, later Commanding Officer (1927-1932) Reg. No. 5156, PPCLI. Attestation Papers. Diary References: “Lts. [M.] Newbrook [Tenbroeke] … wounded,” 3:17 Sep ’16; “He had not been dead only a few minutes when I was warned for a ration party, so I asked the Captain, [M.] Tenbroke – not to have him buried until I came back,” 6:26 Aug ’18. According to Hodder-Williams, 90, Major M. Ten Broeke was wounded 15 September 1916 and struck off strength at demobilisation on 20 March 1919.
Additional Biographical Information:
Major Melville Ten Broeke was a 23-year-old civil engineer when he enlisted at Edmonton in November 1914. Born in Simla, Punjab, India on 15 July 1891, Ten Broeke was 5 feet 11 ½ inches in height, of dark complexion with dark brown eyes and black hair, suggesting that he may have been of partly Indian descent. According to Jeffery Williams, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, 123, Lieut.-Col. M. R. Ten Broeke was appointed Commanding Officer of the PPCLI in 1927, a post he held until 1932, when Lieut.-Col. H. W. Niven, DSO, MC assumed command. Evidently, there is much more to learn about Major Ten Broeke.
11 October 1918: Bar to Military Cross awarded to Major M. TenBroeke M.C. PPCLI War Diary, 16 October 1918.
15 October 1918: All officers and 100 O.R. attend funeral of Major General Lipsett late Divisional Commander. T/Capt. M. TenBroeke (M.C.) to be Temp. Major. 15.8.18. PPCLI War Diary, 15 October 1918.