James Prain Bruce, Marion's brother in law had married her sister Maggie in 1893 at the Congregational Church in Broughty Ferry. 8 years earlier Maggie had witnessed Marion's wedding at the same church to Louis Harley ( senior).

James Prain Bruce  was an architect living in Carnoustie and working in the surrounding areas. Amongst other buildings he was responsible for designing Louis and Marion's house Fenella, in Broughty Ferry in 1892. This was one of the few commissions he worked on outside Carnoustie at the time. One can only speculate as to whether he was known to Louis and Marion through his relationship with Marion's sister- although they did not marry till the following year. Or alternatively whether he got to know Maggie in 1892 while working for Louis and Marion.

In the years following the war together with his partner George Christie Morton  ( Bruce , Son and Morton) he also designed the  war memorials at Meigle ( above) and Carnoustie ( below).

In addition , James and Maggie's son , Douglas also joined up at the same time as his Harley cousins. He and Norman Harley were to find themselves fighting alongside each other later in 1915.

Douglas Prain Bruce

Louis Harley was not recording his diary entries while training at Caterham. However his medical records show that he was inoculated against Typhoid , receiving his second inoculation on January 18 1915.

On 23 January 1915 he was admitted to hospital where he remained for 4 days with influenza.

Coincidentally on the same day , his mother Marion Harley nee Lorimer died suddenly at home in Broughty Ferry, aged 52. Her death certificate was witnessed by her brother-in-law James Prain Bruce.

Sadly there is no indication that Louis was able to travel to Scotland following his mother's death -unless the 4 days influenza visit to hospital was a convenient and kindly cover to allow him to travel for the funeral. We do not know.