William Henry Dillon Bell

Captain

Conflict:

WW1

Additional Information:

MP in New Zealand. Son of the Hon. Sir Francis Bell, G.C.M.G., and Lady Bell, of Wellington, New Zealand.

References:

CWGC

Archives New Zealand

NZ WAR GRAVES

Biographical Notes:

William was the son of the Hon. Sir Francis Dillon Bell, GCMG,CB,MLC,KC. and Lady Caroline Bell of Wellington. He went up to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1902. He was married to Gladys Bell. William was the Member of Parliament for Wellington Suburbs, from 1911 to 1914. His father was Speaker of the House, and his brother became Prime Minister of New Zealand ( albeit for only 16 days).

At the outbreak of war, William volunteered and left on the 15th August 1914 from Wellington with the Samoan Advance Party. Col. Logan wrote, " Captain Bell's services have been of the greatest asset to me, as he has taken the organisation of the Civil Service off my hands, and left me free to devote more time to the native question. The manner in which he has carried out his work is beyond praise, and the successful working of the Service is due to his ability as an organiser"

William was the first Member of Parliament to leave on active service and was killed in action on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres.

William was Mentioned in Despatches and recorded in Debretts Obituary - War Roll of Honour, published in the 1922 edition.

source: Paul Foster, In Continuing and Grateful Memory - The Menin Gate. Volume 1 p. 187.

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Casualty

Name:

William Henry Dillon Bell

Rank:

Captain

Date of Birth:

Not known

Next of Kin:

Gladys Bell, Union Bank of Australia (Limited), London, England

Date of Enlistment:

Not known

Enlistment Address:

47 Molesworth Street, Wellington, New Zealand

Occupation on Enlistment:

Member of Parliament for Wellington Suburbs

Armed Force:

Army

Unit:

1 King Edward's Horse

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Date of Death:

31 July 1917

Day of Death:

Tuesday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW1

Embarkation Details

Embarkation Body:

Samoan Advance Party

Embarkation Place:

Wellington, New Zealand

Embarkment Date:

15 August 1914

Transport:

HMNZT 1
HMNZT 2

Vessel:

Moeraki or Monowai

Destination:

Apia, Samoa

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

Cemetery Reference:

Panel 5.

Cemetery Location:

Belgium