Private William Bell
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 2348
- Unit
- 28 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Died of Wounds
- Place of death
- Belgium
- Date of death
- 22 September 1917
- Age
- 20
- Plaque number
- M466A
- Co-located plaques
- M466 - PTE Robert Smart
- Dedicated by
- Family on 16 February 2013
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private William Bell, or Willie as he was known, was born in 1896 on the Edinbart Estate above Clydebank in Scotland. He was one of five sons and a daughter born to William and Agnes Bell.
He was attending school at Erskine Primary in 1910 when the family decided to move to Western Australia. Their father came first and the family arrived in Fremantle aboard the SS Rangatira a few months later.
Willie worked alongside his father for the next four years on large wheat and sheep properties in the York district.
He was working at Roelands near Bunbury when he decided to enlist. As he was under age, he obtained his father’s permission to enlist.
He arrived at Blackboy Hill Military Camp in July 1915 and was posted to 5 Reinforcements of 28 Battalion.
In October his unit sailed from Fremantle aboard HMAT Thermistocles, bound for Egypt.
They trained at Tel el Kabir and, in March 1916, left Alexandria for Marseilles.
In April, he was in hospital with influenza and then was in and out of hospital in France and England with several problems. He returned to Belgium in August 1917.
Private William Bell, service number 2348 of 28 Battalion, died of wounds received in Belgium on 22 September 1917. He was 20 years of age.
This inscription on his headstone was given by his mother:
'There, midst the silent shadows
Our loved one lies at rest.
His duty done.
Our son.'