Bell, R H (Robert Hugh)
Bell, R H (Robert Hugh)
Sergeant Robert Hugh Bell was the son of William James Bell and Annie Bell, of Belfast; husband of Margaret Bell, of Hebburn-on-Tyne, Co. Durham.
Robert served with the 1st Anti-Aircraft Brigade and were part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) that fought during the Battle for France which lasted from the 10th of May 1940 until the 10th of June. They had been in the country since November 1939 and were assigned to headquarters, but as it became clear during the battle that the Germans were winning, they began a fighting retreat to Dunkirk. The evacuation of the BEF began on the 27th of May 1940.[1]
A few days later, on the 29th of May, whilst the battery was in Hazebrouck, France, 24 miles from Dunkirk, Sergeant Robert Hugh Bell was in his gun position defending the beaches from air attack. At around 14:00 hours, he heard cries of help coming from a nearby wood that was being heavily shelled by the Germans. Ignoring the danger Robert ran over to the area to investigate, only to find two gravely wounded British soldiers. He proceeded to carry them back and then dressed their wounds before evacuating them from the area to the Regimental Aid Post. On hearing of his actions, his commanding officer recommended him for the Military Medal, but this was later downgraded to Mentioned in Dispatches. The date of the announcement was in the London Gazette on the 20th of December 1940.
Robert and his men were some of the last soldiers evacuated from Dunkirk.[2] They destroyed their equipment before their departure and return to England to help defend airfields during the upcoming Battle of Britain.
It is not known when, but at some stage Robert contracted tuberculous[3] and he would be discharged from the army because of it. This slow wasting disease would eventually take his life on the 6th of November 1943 in the presence of his brother-in-law Arthur Henry. This date is taken from the death certificate, although his headstone and Commonwealth War Graves record it as the 1st.
Date of Death: 01/11/1943 (Aged 37)
Service: Sergeant, Royal Artillery, 1 Light A.A. Regiment.
Service Number: 7042912
Burial Location: Maghera (St. Patrick) Roman Catholic Churchyard
[1] The evacuation was called Operation Dynamo.
[2] British suffered around 68,000 killed or captured at the Battle of Dunkirk, around 340,000 where rescued.
[3] Tuberculous meningitis is an infection in the brain which usually causes dizziness, headaches, confusion and finally coma just before the patient passes away.
