Military History

Embarked Fremantle per ‘Themistocles’ 13.10.1915 for Egypt.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit 5th Reinforcement, 28th Battalion.
Bell disembarked with his unit at Suez. He was taken on strength with his Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir 13.1.1916. He entrained to Alexandria, joined British Expeditionary Force and embarked for France 16.3.1916. He disembarked at Marseilles, France 21.3.1916. His Battalion joined the front line at Armentieres. Bell was admitted to the 26th General Hospital in France with influenza 23.4.1916. He marched out of Hospital 15.5.1916 and rejoined his unit in the trenches on the Somme. Bell was admitted to hospital with a sprained ankle 6.8.1916 and rejoined his unit 13.8.1916. Bell sustained a knee injury when exiting the trenches and falling on slippery duckboards 13.10.1917. He was admitted to Rouen General Hospital and then transferred by Hospital Ship ‘Glenarc Castle’ for England 1.3.1917. Bell was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital 2.3.1917 and from there transferred for convalescence to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford 31.3.1917. He proceeded overseas to France 10.6.1917. He fought at Pozieres with his Battalion and also at Ypres. Bell was wounded in action 20.9.1917 at Polygon Wood with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He was transferred by the 6th Australian Field Ambulance and taken to the 17th Casualty Clearing Station.
Bell Died of Wounds received in action at the 17th Casualty Clearing Station, Belgium. His death was reported in local newspapers (West Australian Newspaper 20.10.1917). He was buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery (Plot XX1V, Row C, Grave 5), Lijssenthoek, West Vlaanderen, Flanders, Belgium.
Final Rank Private, 28th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force.
Medical Condition Deceased, died of wounds.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes William, his four brothers, sister and mother migrated to WA in 1911, to join his father in York. They worked a farm at Malebelling, York and moved to Guildford in 1917. The brothers and father took over a cartage busines that later became the largest trucking Company in the in Australia, Bell Transport. His brother George served at sea in WW1.
Photos HMAT 'Themistocles' at Fremantle . Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM 304038
             Stretcher bearers passing through a cemetery at Polygon Wood 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E01912
             Lijssenthoek Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium with 1228 Australian Soldiers have graves . Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM A03041

Information Source
AWM 304038. HMAT 'Themistocles' at Fremantle . Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E01912. Stretcher bearers passing through a cemetery at Polygon Wood 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM A03041. Lijssenthoek Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium with 1228 Australian Soldiers have graves . Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial Embarkation Roll-William Bell
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour- William Bell
Guildford Municipal Council Rates Books
​Guildford War Memorial
NAA: B2455, Bell W 2348
West Australian Newspaper
Wise, H. and Co. Western Australian Post Office Directories

18 Bertie Street, Guildford, WA.
117 Swan Street/Peel Street, WA. Lot 15 GTL 32 (1917 – 18 GMC Rates Books)

 

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