Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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Updates for Sergeant Richard Bell
Date Information
31/12/2020 Sergeant Richard Bell is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial.
31/12/2020
14/04/2017
14/04/2017 The Canadian Circumstances of Death Register records that Sergeant Bell was killed in action on 30th October 1917 at Passchendaele.
23/03/2017 Private Richard Bell, Canadian Infantry, Terrenew, Castlecaulfield, killed.
23/03/2017
23/03/2017 From the Belfast Newsletter dated 7th January 1918:
30/12/2015 Richard Bell was the son of William Bell. Richard was born on 4th March 1893 in Dromiskin, County Louth.
30/12/2015 Richard enlisted for the second time on 21st May 1915 in Lindsay, Ontario. He joined the 59th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry. He was 5 feet 9 inches tall with grey eyes and black hair.
30/12/2015 Before enlisting for a second time, Richard worked as a night watchman.
30/12/2015 Richard was with the Royal Canadian Regiment for 27 days.
30/12/2015 The two brothers, James and Richard Bell, then emigrated to Canada.
30/12/2015 Richard served for 15 days in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
30/12/2015 By the time of the 1911 census, it seems the two brothers had moved to Castlecaulfield to work for their grandfather John Burrows on his farm. John Burrows was 78 years old.
30/12/2015 He gave his next of kin as his brother, who was by then living at 86 Shamnley Street, Toronto, Ontario.
30/12/2015 The 1901 census lists Richard as age 10 living with family at house 2 in Newrath, Dromiskin, County Louth. His father was a farmer. His mother had died. He was still at school. He had an older brother, James Bell.
30/12/2015 From the Tyrone Courier and Dungannon News dated Thursday 13 November 1919:
30/12/2015
30/12/2015 Known family: William Bell. James Bell (born about 1889). Richard Bell (born 4th March 1893).
30/12/2015 Richard then transferred to the 38th Battalion in Barriefield, Ontario, on 22 June 1915 (number 410683). He served with the battalion during its period of garrison duty in Bermuda.
30/12/2015 Richard Bell landed in France with the Battalion on 13 August 1916.
30/12/2015
30/12/2015 Sergeant Richard Bell has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium.
30/12/2015
30/12/2015 BELL – In loving memory of my dear brother, Sergeant Richard Bell, 38th Battalion, Canadians, killed in action at the Battle of Passchendaele, 30 October 1917, age 24 years.
30/12/2015 'Not dead to us we loved him dearly
30/12/2015 Not lost but gone before
30/12/2015 He lives with us in memory
30/12/2015 And will forever more'
30/12/2015 Sadly missed by brother and sister-in-law James and Mrs Bell, 86 Shanly Street, Toronto, Canada.
30/12/2015 Sergeant Richard Bell was killed in action near the town of Ypres in West Flanders, Belgium at the Battle of Passchendaele on 30th October 1917. He was 24 years old.
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