7th November 1896 - 20th July 1916 (age 19)
Private 19283
2nd Bn. Suffolk Regiment
Herbert was the youngest of nine children of clock and watch repairer William
Bell, and his wife Eleanor of Back Lane, Sowerby. On 15th November 1899,
he started at Sowerby Infant School, and when he moved to the Junior School
in 1903, he went under the name of Bertie. The following year, an elder
brother Arthur William, died at the age of 20. After leaving school, Herbert
became a cycle shop apprentice and he joined the Church Lads' Brigade.
He enlisted in the 18th Hussars (as Private 25516) at Redcar and was already
serving in April 1915, later transferring to the 2nd Bn. Suffolk Regiment.
The Battalion were in an attack at Longueval in the continuing Somme battle
on 20th July 1916, and although they took five prisoners, they also faced
casualties including Herbert Bell who has no known grave. His name appears
on the Thiepval Memorial 1C & 2A.
The Thiepval Memorial bears the names of over 72,000 British and South
African men who died in the Battles of the Somme and who have no known
grave. It includes the names of six Sowerby men.
The information on this page was compiled by Steve Billings.
Information about Herbert Bell on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Information about Herbert Bell on the War Graves Photographic Project website