Bell, Charles Henry
No.505 – Private Charles Henry Bell – 27th Battalion AIF
Charles Henry Bell was born in Fremantle Western Australia in 1879 to George & Emily Bell. He had several siblings, and he went to school in Fremantle and later worked as a labourer. Charles served in South Africa for 14 months during the Boer War with the Colonial Forces. His mother Emily died in 1902 however he still worked in the Fremantle district until shortly before World War One when he went to South Australia for work. His father was living at 47 Sydney Street South Fremantle.
Charles enlisted on the 3rd February 1915 at Keswick in South Australia and in April was allotted to C Company of the 27th battalion AIF. His medical examination found Charles to be 5 feet 5 inches in height; weight of 153 lbs; chest measurement of 36-38 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and auburn hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. He named his brother in Fremantle, Clarence Bell as his next of Kin.
Just prior to his departure he married Sophia Bell on the 23rd May 1915. Eight days later he departed Adelaide on the H.M.A.T. Geelong. The 27th Battalion spent a few months training in Egypt before they departed for Gallipoli where they arrived in September. Charles got through the campaign unscathed except for being fined for being drunk. When Gallipoli was evacuated the 27th Battalion were evacuated back to Lemnos Island and then on to Egypt in January 1916. In February Charles was fined 11 days pay with being AWOL however this didn’t affect him embarking with the 27th when they sailed for France in March. They arrived at Marseilles on the 21st March and were sent straight up to the region around Armentieres where they would garrison the trenches for the next few months.
In July & August 1916 the 27th Battalion was heavily involved at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm. Charles survived these actions, though was twice fined. The first was on the 22nd July for going absent without leave. He was fined 5 days pay and awarded 28 days field punishment no.2, then on the 15th August 1916 during a tattoo roll call he failed to obey an order in that he did not stop talking when told to do so. His fine this time was that he was awarded 14 days of Field Punishment no.2.
The 27th Battalion spent September & October 1916 in Ypres in Belgium but was soon back on the Somme. On the 1st November Charles once again absented himself for the majority of the day. His punishment was the forfeiture of 7 days pay, with the award of 28 days of Field Punishment No.1. Unfortunately, Charles did not live to see out this punishment, for on the 5th November 1916 during an attack by the 27th Battalion at Flers, Charles was killed in action.
Due to the muddy conditions his body was not recovered, and he is thus commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial to the Missing.
His wife Sophia Bell received a pension of 2 pounds per fortnight after his death.