Paul Bell (footballer) explained

Paul Bell
Fullname:	Alfred William Paul Bell
Birth Date:	12 April 1914
Birth Place:	Shepparton, Victoria
Death Place:	Balikpapan, Borneo
Originalteam:	Shepparton
Guernsey:	32
Statsend:	1938
Years1:	1937–38
Games Goals1:	15 (20)

Alfred William Paul Bell (12 April 1914 – 4 July 1945) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League. He returned to Shepparton in 1938, and coached his home team. He was killed in action in World War II.

Family

The son of John Thomas Bell (1880–1943),^[1] and Ada Barbara Bell (1878–1938), née Wilson,^[2] Alfred William Paul Bell was born at Shepparton on 12 April 1914. He married Beatrice "Rannie" Alcorn (born 1915 – died ?) on 16 September 1937.^[3] They had two daughters, Beverley, and Judith.

Education

He attended Shepparton High School; as did his wife.^[4]

Football

Bell initially played with the Lemnos Football Club in the Goulburn Valley Second Eighteens Football Association (GVSEFA) in 1933 and then won the 1934 – GVSEFA Best & Fairest award / N. Gribble Cup.^[5] Bell then moved across to play in the stronger Goulburn Valley Football Netball League with the Shepparton Football Club in 1935.

Having tried out with Richmond two years earlier,^{[6] [7] [8]} he was cleared from Shepparton to St Kilda in June 1937.^{[9] [10]} He travelled to and from Shepparton, rather than living in Melbourne, and he played 15 senior games with St Kilda over two seasons (1937 and 1938).^[11]

Military service

He served in the Second AIF as a commando. He was killed in action at Balikpapan, Borneo on 4 July 1945.^{[12] [13]}

See also

• List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service

References

• Roll of Honour: Lance Corporal Alfred William Paul Bell (VX79445), Australian War Memorial.
• World War Two Nominal Roll: Lance Corporal Alfred William Paul Bell (VX79445).
• World War Two Service Record: Lance Corporal Alfred William Paul Bell (VX79445), National Archives of Australia.
• Football Pin-Up No.12: Paul Bell, The Shepparton Advertiser, (Friday, 5 July 1946), p.15.
• Grant, A., "Lest We Forget – Part 2", saints.com.au, 19 April 2007.
• RSL Virtual War Memorial: Alfred William Paul (Champ) Bell.
• Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.

External links

• • Paul Bell, australianfootball.com.
• Boyles Football Photos: Paul Bell.

Notes and References

1. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11345034 Deaths: Bell, The Argus, (Saturday, 9 January 1943), p.2.
2. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12065712 Deaths: Bell, The Argus, (Saturday, 19 November 1938), p.6.
3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/171892710 Quiet Ceremony: Bell—Alcorn Wedding, The Shepparton Advertiser, (Friday, 17 September 1937), p.4.
4. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/186950568 Merit Certificate
5. Web site: 1934 – Goulburn Valley Second Eighteen FA . Trove Newspapers . Shepparton Advertiser . 18 July 2020 . 24 March 1934. 2.
6. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205859664 Football: Richmond
7. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/181686410 Recruits are well up to standard
8. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/177604487 Shepparton player with Richmond
9. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11074207 Should appear for permits
10. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/171889517 "Praise for G.V. Footballer"
11. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/171889611 "Bell Rings True": Outstanding and Intelligent Footballer
12. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/975942 Overseas: Killed in Action
13. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/977707/32306 "Deaths: On Active Service"