Frederick Bell Explained

Frederick William Bell
Birth Date:3 April 1875
Birth Place:Perth, Western Australia
Death Place:Bristol, England
Placeofburial:Canford Cemetery, Bristol, England
Allegiance:Australia
United Kingdom
Branch:Australian Military Forces
British Army
Serviceyears:1899–1902
1907–1918
Rank:Lieutenant Colonel
Battles:Second Boer War

First World War

Awards:Victoria Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (2)

Frederick William Bell, VC (3 April 1875 – 28 April 1954) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life and career

Bell was born on 3 April 1875 in Perth, Western Australia, and was the first person born in Western Australia to receive the Victoria Cross.[1]

He was 26 years old, and a lieutenant in the West Australian Mounted Infantry during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

Following the end of the war, he went to the United Kingdom and received the decoration from the Prince of Wales during a large coronation parade of colonial troops in London on 1 July 1902.[2]

Bell died on 28 April 1954, and was buried in Canford Cemetery, Bristol, England.

The Frederick Bell ward at the former Repatriation General Hospital, Hollywood was named in his honour.

Medals

The Western Australian Government bought Bell's medals in 1984 from a stepson living in Canada, and the set was placed in the collection of the Western Australian Museum. In July 2016 the medals went on loan to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, where they will be on display until June 2019.[3]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: "We are the Tenth Light Horse". . . Perth, WA . 17 December 1939 . 26 February 2014 . 31 . National Library of Australia.
  2. The Prince and the Colonial Contingents . 2 July 1902 . 12 . 36809.
  3. Web site: Rare Boer War Victoria Cross medal group goes on display at Australian War Memorial. 14 July 2016. Australian War Memorial. 2 December 2016.