Poppy In memoriam Poppy

Private Victor Nelson Bell

 

Bell 1

 

Bell 2

 

Private Victor Nelson Bell, killed in action 26 October 1917, aged 20. Service No.41254 (RIF), formerly North Irish Horse (1154). Born Templemore, County Londonderry, enlisted September 1914 at Londonderry. Son of Robert and Margaret Elizabeth Bell of 11 Westland Avenue, Londonderry. Buried at Neuville-Bourjonval British Cemetery, grave E.19. The Battalion diary for that day reads:

Havrincourt Wood. Quiet during day. At night enemy again occupied Wigan Copse and was definitely driven out again at 9pm. Our fighting patrol suffered two casualties – one man killed and one slightly injured. At 10pm enemy obtained a direct hit on our right Lewis Gun post on Yorkshire Bank with a heavy trench mortar, killing three men.

The gravestone inscription reads:

41254 PRIVATE

V. N. BELL

ROYAL IRISH FUSILIERS

26TH OCTOBER 1917 AGE 20

HE DIED

FOR FREEDOM AND HONOUR

 

Image of gravestone Copyright © Phillip Tardif with all rights reserved as set out in this Use of Material policy. Newspaper image from The Irish Times, 1 December 1917.