Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John BELL (Service Number 2036) was born at Beaufort, Victoria, late in 1887. No railway employment record card can be located for him and there are many entries in the Government Gazette and Annual Report lists for the name, with or without second initials.
However, the 1921 Honour Roll assigns the dead man to the 39th Battalion, and the only serviceman of the 40 with the name of John Bell who are listed on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour in Canberra who served with that unit is the man with service number 2036. Fortunately, a letter from the NSWGR&T exists in the Australian National Archives (B2455-3008792) for John Bell S/N2036, and this seeks confirmation of his death for pay calculation purposes. His association with the railway is thus confirmed.
Bell’s enlistment papers give his calling as ‘labourer’ and this does not help to define his role in his previous railway employment. The 1921 Honour Roll includes him under ‘Permanent Way’, so perhaps the labourer of 1902 working on the Glenbrook to Mt Victoria deviation was the relevant one. Similar roles are listed in 1911 - Junee to Albury, and 1914 - Cunningar to Thirlmere.
Very few of the men joining the AIF were married but Bell was, and most unusually, divorced.
Bell enlisted on 10 May 1916 at Ararat, Victoria and embarked through Melbourne on HMAT ‘Shropshire’ 25 September 1916, reaching Plymouth on 11 November. He left England just before Christmas and joined the 39th Battalion on 11 February 1917.
He was killed in action on 8 June 1917 in Belgium. Since he has no known grave his name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium
His war medals were given to Mrs E E Slater, of Richmond, Victoria, in trust for his son, Master Leslie Geo. Bell. Mrs Slater was perhaps the lad’s mother, as it is recorded that she had remarried.
(NAA B2455-3008792)