Captain Eric Norman Frankland Bell - An Enniskillen VC

liverpool annie · Nov 7, 2009

In Memory of
Captain ERIC NORMAN FRANKLAND BELL
V C

9th Bn., Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
attd. 109th Light T.M. Bty.
who died age 20
on 01 July 1916
Son of Capt. E. H. Bell, of 22, University Rd., Bootle, Liverpool. Native of Enniskillen, Ireland.

Remembered with honour
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

In February of 2001 a Victoria Cross medal arrived in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh from New Zealand.

The medal had been in New Zealand for the previous 70 or more years. In 1916 it had been posthumously awarded to Enniskillen born Captain Eric Norman Frankland Bell.

Eric Bell's father was a quartermaster in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers so it was no surprise that his son followed in his father's footsteps and joined the 9th Battalion RIF.

On 1st July 1916 - A date which was later to become known as the first day of the Battle of the Somme.- Captain Bell was in command of a Trench Mortar Battery at Thiepval, France. Here is the citation which accompanies this prestigious medal.

Captain Eric Bell VC

" For most conspicuous bravery. He was in command of a Trench Mortar Battery, and advanced with the infantry in the attack, when the front line was hung up by enfilading machine-gun fire. Captain Bell crept forward and shot the machine-gunner. Later, on no less than three occasions, when our bombing parties, which were clearing the enemy's trenches, were unable to advance, he crept forward alone and threw trench-mortar bombs among the enemy. When no more bombs were available, he stood on the parapet under intense fire and used a rifle with great coolness and effect on the enemy advancing to counter-attack. Finally, he was killed rallying and reorganizing infantry parties which had lost their officers. All this was outside the scope of his normal duties with his battery. He gave his life in his supreme devotion to duty. "
London Gazette 26 September 1916

His body was never recovered.

The Medal came into the possession of Bell relatives in New Zealand who many years later generously decided it's rightful place was in the safe keeping of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers' Museum, in Enniskillen. And so, through intermediaries, they eventually arranged for it to be handed back to the regiment. It is now housed in the Castle Keep, Enniskillen Castle.

liverpool annie · Nov 8, 2009

The source of this information is likely to have been the Liverpool Scroll of Fame entry for Bell - which Joe ( the Liverpool guru ! ) reproduced on another site

AMONG many outstanding features of the British Empire's part in the fight for right and freedom is the great role played by the Irish Regiments, the achievements of which are a glorious record. North and South fought side by side on battle fields for evermore famous, and inevitably the sacrifices were heavy. Individual deeds of gallantry were numerous, and exceptional bravery and ability had to be displayed by those who were singled out for special distinction.

The feats performed by Captain Eric Norman Frankland Bell, of the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, the second officer of the Ulster Division to win the Victoria Cross, rank among the highest. Though not yet twenty-one years of age when he sacrificed his life in the Battle of the Somme, his career had crowded into it an almost unique record, for one so young, of usefulness and service in the greatest cause of all. At the time of his death he was in command of the 109th light Trench Mortar Battery. The army spirit was bred in him, for he was one of three soldier sons of Captain Edward Henry Bell, a regular army officer, who himself, though retired, joined his old regiment, the Royal Inniskillings, at the outbreak of the war, and was instrumental in forming several battalions for service overseas. During the war Captain Bell, senior, fulfilled important duties in Gallipoli, Egypt, the Lybian Desert, and in France.

Mrs. Bell was an Enniskillen lady, who resided at 22, University Road, Bootle. Young Captain Bell's educational career was spent at St. Margaret's, Princes Road, the Liverpool Institute, and the School of Architecture at the Liverpool University. When quite a boy he showed exceptional ability, and gave promise of rising to a position of distinction in civil life. As a painter in oils and in pen-and-ink drawings he displayed wonderful ability, showing work of rare merit, even at so early an age as twelve years. His progress was rapid, and when he attended the School of Architecture examples of his work were published in several journals of architecture. Although only a student at that time, he received numerous letters of thanks from the parents of other pupils for the valuable assistance he gave their sons during their training. It is recalled that at the age of fifteen a well-known Liverpool artist remarked of him, “What comes to Eric naturally took me years and years of hard study." He was also a musician of considerable skill. A linguist also of no mean ability, he spoke French and German fluently. Notwithstanding his talents, he was naturally a boy of reserved character, especially among strangers, but he had a keen sense of humour and possessed a ready wit. Altogether he had a very taking manner, and was a most lovable boy.

On leaving the University he was commissioned to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on September 22nd, 1914, being posted to the 6th Battalion. Shortly afterwards he was transferred to form a nucleus for the 8th Battalion. He later made a special application for transfer to the Ulster Division, and on his request being granted he was posted to the 9th Battalion, of which his father, Captain E. H. Bell, was adjutant. He then accompanied the Ulster Division to Seaford, where he attended several courses in which he again distinguished himself. It was in the October of 1915 that he crossed over to France, and subsequently went through a course of trench mortar battery work, becoming commander of one of these latest adjuncts to offensive warfare. How he won the Victoria Cross is set forth in the official account as follows :-
" For most conspicuous bravery. He was in command of a trench mortar battery, and advanced with the infantry in the attack. When our front line was hung up by enfilading machine gun fire, Captain Bell crept forward and shot the machine gunner. Later, on no less than three occasions, when our bombing parties, which were clearing the enemy's trenches, were unable to advance, he went forward and threw trench mortar bombs among the enemy. When he had no more bombs available he stood on the parapet under intense lire, and used a rifle with great coolness and effect on the enemy advancing to counter-attack. Finally, he was killed rallying and reorganising infantry parties which had lost their officers. All this was outside the scope of his normal duties with his battery. He gave his life in his supreme devotion to duty."

In a sympathetic letter to the bereaved mother the commanding officer, Colonel Ricardo, pays a very high tribute to Captain Bell, and adds further particulars of his gallantry, "The General," he says, "hearing that his parents were old friends of mine, has asked me to write on his behalf, sending his sympathy and telling of the gallantry of Eric, which was outstanding on a day when supreme courage and gallantry was the order of the day. Eric was in command on July 1st of his trench mortar battery, which had very important duties to perform, and which very materially helped the advance. We know from his servant, Private Stevenson, a great deal of Eric's share in the day's work. He went forward with the advance, and coming under heavy machine gun fire, and seeing where it came from, he took a rifle and crawled towards the machine gun and then shot the gunner in charge, thus enabling a party on his flank to capture the gun. His gallant action saved many lives. When in the German lines Eric worked splendidly, collecting scattered units and helping to organise the defence. He was most energetic and never ceased to encourage the men, and set all a very line example. Having exhausted all his mortar ammunition, he organised a carrying party and started back to fetch up more shells; it was whilst crossing back to our own line that Eric was hit. He was shot through the body, and died in a few minutes without suffering. His servant stayed with him to the end, and arrived back quite exhausted, and has now been admitted to hospital. Nothing could have exceeded the courage and resource displayed by Eric. The brigade are proud that he belonged to it. It is only what I should have expected from him. It must be a solace to his father and mother that he died such a gallant death. He was a born soldier and a credit to his regiment. May I add my heart-felt sympathy to my dear old friends."
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liverpool annie · Nov 8, 2009

Continued .....

A letter received by the bereaved father from King George read :-"It is a matter of sincere regret to me that the death of Captain E. N. F. Bell deprived me of the pride of personally conferring upon him the V.C., the greatest of all rewards for bravery and devotion to duty." His deeds on this memorable July 1st were the subject of general discussion throughout the whole Division. Those who were serving under him declared that he absolutely gave away his life for others. His batman afterwards went out to search for his officer's body, but never returned. Among his fellow officers he was extremely popular, while his men adored him and would follow anywhere under his lead, for it was characteristic of him that he would never set them to perform a task which he was unable or unprepared to do himself. He had ever the care and comfort of his men in mind, and quite regularly he had parcels sent out from home for distribution among them. The high opinion and the respect they held for him was shown by their genuine expressions of regret when he left them.

The impressions of one who had served under Captain Bell are interesting as showing in what regard he was held by those who were his subordinates. One of them, recalling the noble and brave deeds he performed on the day of his death, added "I am not ashamed to admit that I cried like a child at the loss I had suffered. I was about a foot and a half from your son when he was shot down by my side. I shall never forget the look he gave me, until my dying day, and I shall cherish his memory through life and eternity - a gentleman every inch of him, and one of the finest officers in the British Army. Beloved by all, he fell on the battlefield as you would have wished him to do. I stayed by his side until the last (which wasn't long), and I shall never forget the heaven inspired look he gave me before he died."

It is interesting to record that at the time he was killed Captain Bell was using shells in which he devised an improvement. His fame was spread abroad outside the army, and in a letter which he wrote Sir Edward Carson declared "He died a noble death." The impressions of those who were associated with him during his student days are also interesting. Professor Reilly, who formed a very high opinion of him while he was attending the School of Architecture, has since his death written as follows :-" Eric was one of the few men I know who could have won such an honour (the Victoria Cross) without being spoilt by it. He was as modest as he proved to be brave. He had the sensitive temperament of the real artist." Sir Alfred Dale, Vice-Chancellor of the University, has also written :- "Your pride must be as great as your sorrow, and we, in our measure, share in both. But even now you must feel thankful that you had so much to give, and gave it." Mr. Henry V. Whitehouse, headmaster of the Liverpool Institute, has penned the following appreciation of his late pupil :- "Eric Bell was always a charming creature, with a strong artistic feeling. He was an example of honourable boyhood, but rather retiring by nature. If he had stayed longer in the school he would have become a power for good in the best of all possible ways; by force of character rather than by strength of limb. A soldier was the last thing I ever expected him to be, but once he was a soldier I felt quite certain that he would do his duty finely. There are very few of the hundreds of old pupils from this and other schools whose death was a more personal grief to me." Professor A. V. Weisse, of the Liverpool Institute, in a letter of sympathy to the parents of Captain Bell, stated :- "I had a great affection for Eric, and it is a real and personal grief to me to add his name to the list of splendid boys who have so nobly died for us all. May you soon find your grief give place to happy memories of your boy, and a great pride in his fine courage." The principal of St. Margaret's Higher Grade School, Princes Road, also wrote a letter of genuine sympathy, and recalling with pride Captain Bell's connection with the school. He added that they had still at the school one of his drawings (in pen-and-ink) which had been frequently admired by visitors.
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Captain Eric Norman Frankland Bell - An Enniskillen VC

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The Kings Garden War Memorial in Bootle, unveiled on the 15 October 1922.jpg

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Captain Eric Norman Frankland Bell - An Enniskillen VC

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liverpool annie New Member

Attached Files:

bell eric.jpg

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Kings Garden Memorial bootle.jpg

The Kings Garden War Memorial in Bootle, unveiled on the 15 October 1922.jpg

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