Bell, Henry

Henry Bell was born in Southport, England, on 22 June 1893. The son of John Bell, a mechanical engineer, and Anna Bell, he had one sibling, a younger sister named Florence.

It is uncertain when Bell moved to Canada, although it must have been after April 1911, as he was registered on the Census of England and Wales conducted that year. A draftsman by trade, Bell enlisted in the 36th Canadian Infantry Battalion in Hamilton, Ontario, on 27 April 1915. He embarked in Montréal, Quebec, for England on 18 June 1915. Eleven days later, he arrived in Plymouth. The 36th Battalion then travelled to West Sandling Camp, which was part of the Canadian military complex at Folkestone, Kent. On 11 October 1915, Bell was promoted to the rank of lance corporal. Five months later, in March 1916, he was promoted to the rank of corporal. In May 1916, Bell requested that he be reverted to the rank of private. His request was granted, but he was immediately made an acting lance corporal.

On 6 June 1916, Bell was transferred from the 36th Battalion to the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion (Western Ontario). He joined the unit in France three days later. The year that followed, he fought in the battles of the Somme and Vimy Ridge, then was granted 10 days leave in Paris in August 1917. Two months after returning from leave, Bell was transferred to Camp Bramshott, a Canadian military facility in Hampshire, England, for training with a view to being granted a commission. The timing was fortuitous for Bell; while training, he missed the Battle of Passchendaele. Bell was granted a temporary lieutenant’s commission on 26 January 1918. After further training, he returned to France on 12 September 1918 and rejoined the 1st Battalion in the field four days later. Eleven days after rejoining his unit, he was wounded in the head by shrapnel, on the first day of the Battle of the Canal du Nord. He died the next day at No. 8 Red Cross Hospital, in Boulogne.

Henry Bell is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France.