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Married: 1920. Uralla, New South wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:3100/1920
Wife: Helen L Bell. nee: Taylor
Died: 1954. Tamworth New South Wales, Australia. Death Cert:25641/1954
Mother: Mary Sarah Bell. nee:.
Leslie Roy Bell enlisted with the Machine Gun Section, 33rd Battalion AIf on the 3rd of January 1916 with the rank
of Private, and left Sydney on board HMAT A74 "Marathon" on the 4th of May 1916 and disembarked
at Devonport, England on the 9th of July 1916. Lelie was marched in to the 9th Training Battalion
before proceeding overseas via Southampton for France on the 21st of November. He was Taken on
Strength with the 33rd Battalion in the field and was later promoted to Lance Corporal on the
13th of April.
Leslie was again promoted on the 25th of June to the rank of Corporal after
Corporal: 2068 John Henry Hassall was Killed in Action on the
7th of June 1917. The next dat he has promoted the 2nd Lieutenant and appointed Lewis-Gun Officer
on the 13th of August 1917. Leslie remained with the 33rd and was granted leave in England on the
12th of January 1918.
Whilst in England leslie was transfered to the 9th Training Battalion on the 31st of January and
promoted to Lieutenant on the 8th of February. He attended the Riffle and Lewis-Gun School at
Tidsworth and completed the course with the Australian School of Musketry and qualified 1st Class
and Distinguished. he completed his training on the 7th of March and was appointed Company Officer
for the 9th Training Battalion.
He proceeded overseas again for France on the 22nd of June via Folkstone and was marched in to
Rouelles on the 25th of June. Two days later he was marched to the Front and rejoined the 33rd
Battalion on the 3rd of July 1918.
7th September 1918
Lieutenant Leslie Roy Bell, 33rd Battalion. For conspicouous gallanrty and devotion to duty during the
attack on ROAD WOOD near BOUCHAVESIERS on August 31st 1918. Lieutenant BELL was in command of a Platoon on the right
of our attack. He displayed great courage and sound leadershipespecially during the capture of ROAD WOOD. When temporarily
held up by a Machine-Gun, Lieutenant BELL with three men rushed to post, killed two men and captured the gun and the
remainder of the crew. On clearing the wood he again rushed and captured a Machine-Gun and its crew.
The enemy made a stand in the trench system east of the Wood; leading his bombers this Officer succeeded in clearing the
trenches, inflicting casulties and taking several prisoners. While thus engaged he came under heavy artillery fire from a
battery of 77mm guns firing over open sights. Seeing Lieutenant: 1205 William Alexander McLEAN's.
platoon rushing towards these guns he gave covering fire with his Lewis-Gun and led a party forward and helped in the capture
of the Battery. This Officer did especially good work in consolidation and reorganisationn and success. Throughout the night
Lieutenant BELL displayed courage, determination and initiative of the highest order and set and admirable example
to his men.
London Gazette 1st February 1919. Page 1723 Position 6.
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 3rd June 1919. Page 947
Position 9.
Leslie was Wounded in Action on the 29th of September, receiving
a Gun-Shot wound to the Left Thigh and was treated at the
Australian Casualty Clearing Station. He was admitted to the 2nd General hospital on the 1st of
October and invalided to England on board the Hospital Ship "Yale". Leslie was admitted to the
Lady De La Rues Hospital in Welwyn and returned to Australia on the 31st of January 1919 on board
HMAT A40 "Ceramic".
Leslie was a 25 year old Station Overseer from Dennison Street, Mudgee, New South Wales prior to enlistment wher he lived
with his mother Mary.
Leslie served during World War 2 with the 19th Employment Company, Service Number:N105739 on the
5th of March 1941 at Narrabri, N.S.W. with the rank of Private and was discharged on the 20th of
November 1942.
William and Mary Bell had 5 children. Daisy A Bell born 1885 at Mudgee, N.S.W.
Birth Cert:26103/1885. William Maunder Bell born 1886 at Mudgee, N.S.W. Birth Cert:27261
and died in 1949 at Coonabarabran, N.S.W. Death Cert:12929/1949. Gordon Victor Bell born
1889 at at Mudgee, N.S.W. Birth Cert:27181/1889 and died in 1965 at Dubbo, N.S.W. Death Cert:
31754/1965. Leslie Roy Bell born 1891 at Mudgee, N.S.W. Birth Cert:23237/1891 and died in
1954 at Tamworth, N.S.W. Death Cert:25641/1954. Lorna Mary Bell (No Birth Record) died in
1899 at Mudgee, N.S.W. Death Cert:2415/1899.
(Australian National Archives)
Under Construction 1/11/2007
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