Naval Tattoo: girl dancers with sailor and naval mascot, Bruce of Woodside

“Bruce of Woodside” and The Society Girls
September 1934: During a break in rehearsals for the Naval Pageant at HMAS Cerberus Flinders Naval Depot, King Neptune’s sea nymphs were photographed in their diaphanous sea-green draperies. 

The sea nymphs were a “who’s who” of Melbourne’s high society young women who often featured in Table Talk, a weekly social magazine with articles about local and overseas notables, their fashions, social engagements and relationships. 

Pet HMAS Cerberus bulldog mascot “Bruce of Woodside”, accompanied by his sailor handler, led naval parades and events wearing a Cerberus sailor hat, and achieved the rank of three badge Petty Officer. Every day at three bells (13:00 hours), Bruce ate a pound and half of raw steak and two raw eggs. Later, Bruce was demoted to Leading Seaman for “eating a goldfish out of the fish pond at the captain’s residence”. Bruce was demoted again for urinating on the wheels of the Captain’s car. 

On 28 July 1935, when Bruce collapsed and died of a chill after retrieving a stick from the water, the papers declared it “to the sorrow of every man in the depot”. 

MCK004 Inkjet print by John Gollings on Canson Platine Fibre Rag

Featured in "Newsworthy: Melbourne in photographs 1933-1936" exhibition at East Melbourne Library, October to December 2023. Exhibition caption by project volunteer, Fiona Collyer.