Ernest James Bell (1909 - 1942)

Born 1909 in Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 18 Jun 1942 at about age 33 in Burma

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Biography

Ernt Jas Bell, child of Jas Hy Bell and Edith Hocking, was born in about 1909 in Briton, Victoria.^[1]

He enlisted in the Australian army 28 May 1940 as Ernest James Bell with service number VX18156. On 6 December 1940 he was discharged as medically unfit. On 10 March 1941 he enlisted again as Joseph Bell service number VX50944. He sailed for Singapore arriving 16 August 1941. He was posted missing 16 February 1942. He was shot while attempting to escape in June 1942. A memorandum of 1957 links VX18156 and VX50944.^[2]

Earnest James Bell was mentioned on a memorial in Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery with a death date of 18 June 1942.^{[3] [4]}

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922"
   Edwardian Index. Victoria 1902-1913; Registration Number: 8571
   Ancestry Record 1778 #1460562 (subscription required, accessed 12 February 2024)
   Ernt Jas Bell born in about 1909, child of Jas Hy Bell & Edith Hocking, in Briton, Victoria.
2. ↑ National Archives of Australia B883, VX50944 BELL JOSEPH : Service Number - VX50944 : Date of birth - 09 Mar 1912 : Place of birth - BERRIGAN NSW : Place of enlistment - ROYAL PARK VIC : Next of Kin - BELLS E page 9
3. ↑ Memorial: "UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947"
   Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Author: Peter Singlehurst; Series Title: British Commonwealth War Graves Registers, 1914-1918; Archive Name: London, United Kingdom
   Ancestry Sharing Link (free access)
   Ancestry Record 2706 #302633 (subscription required, accessed 12 February 2024)
   Name: Earnest James Bell; Gender: Male; Age: 32; Birth Date: abt 1910; Death Date: 18 Jun 1942; Cemetery: Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery; Burial Country: Burma; Regimental Number: VX.50944; Region or Memorial: Burma; Father: James Henry Bell; Mother: Edith Jane Bell.
4. ↑ Memorial: "Commonwealth War Graves Commission"
   Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Myanmar. (Plot: A12. C. 8)
   Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record (accessed 12 February 2024)
   Memorial page for Earnest James Bell. Service number: VX50944; Rank: Private; Died: 18 June 1942; Age: 32.
   Regiment & Unit/Ship: A.I.F. 2/29 Bn., Australian Infantry (Australia); Additional Info: Son of James Henry and Edith Jane Bell, of North Richmond, Victoria, Australia husband of Lilian Grace Bell.