Main CPGW Record
Surname: BELL
Forename(s): Robert William
Place of Birth: Settle, Yorkshire
Service No: 13729
Rank: Private
Regiment / Corps / Service: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
Battalion / Unit: 'A' Coy 10th (Service) Battalion
Division: 23rd Division
Age: 30
Date of Death: 1916-10-05
Awards: ---
CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 6 A and 6 B.
CWGC Cemetery: ---
CWGC Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Non-CWGC Burial: ---
Local War Memorial: SETTLE, YORKSHIRE
Additional Information:
Robert Willam Bell was the son of Joseph and Margaret Bell, née Lyall. Joseph was born at Settle, Yorkshire and Margaret at Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland.
1891 Settle, Yorkshire Census: Zion Chapel Hill - Robert Bell, aged 5 years, born Settle, son of Joseph and Margaret Bell.
1901 Settle, Yorkshire Census: High Road - Robert William Bell, aged 16 years, born Settle, son of Joseph and Margaret Bell.
1911 Settle, Yorkshire Census: Chapel Hill - Robert William Bell, aged 25 years, born Settle, son of Joseph and Margaret Bell.
The British Army Service Record for Robert William Bell (Regimental No. 236) exists but may be incomplete. [Robert was a member of the Volunteer Force and transferred to the Territorial Force when it was created in 1908.]
British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards: Pte Robert W. Bell, 13729, W. Rid. R. Theatre of War first served in: (1) France. Date of entry therein: 26.8.15. K. in A. 5.2.16 [sic].
British Army WW1 Medal and Award Rolls: Pte Robert William Bell, 13729, 10th W. Rid. R. K. in A. 5.10.16.
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Rolls: Pte Robert William Bell, 13729, 10th Bn D. of W'tons W. Riding Rgt. Date and Place of Death: 5.10.16 in action. To whom Authorised/Amount Authorised: Father - Joseph. £12 8s. 10d. War Gratuity: Grantee and Executrix - Margaret. £8 10s. 0d.
UK, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923: card(s) exist for Robert. Name(s) on card(s): (1) Mrs Clarissa Bradley. Address: The Green, Settle. Guardian of Ill. Child. (2) Mrs Myra Charlesworth. Address: 3, Vernon Street, North Barnsley. Unofficial wife. (3) Dependant: Mrs Margaret Bell, born 1845. Relationship: Mother. Address: Chapel Hill, Settle. [In 1911 Myra Charlesworth, aged 30 years, single, was boarding with John Francis and Jane Foster at Back Stables Road, Settle.]
1921 Settle, Yorkshire Census: The Green - Wilfred Reginald Charlesworth, aged 9 years 6 months, born Settle. Father Dead. Adopted son of Clarissa Bradley, widow. [Clarissa was the mother of Private William George Bradley (1897) (q.v.).
Data Source: Craven’s Part in the Great War - original CPGW book entry
View Entry in CPGW BookEntry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record:
BELL, Robert William, aged 30, son of Mr. Joseph Bell of Settle, killed in action Oct. 5, 1916.
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Private Robert William BELL
Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 23rd Division
View Additional Image(s)
Additional Photo(s) For Soldier Records
Unknown platoon of 'A' Company, 10th (Service) Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), Aldershot, 1914
Photograph sent home to his parents at Bolton by Bowland by Pte Henry (Harry) Valance Killeen (13738). Henry is standing, with his hands behind his back, 11th from right. His brother, Pte Reginald Victor Whiteley Killeen (q.v.), was killed in action on the 25 January 1916
Courtesy of Paula Ann Payne (née Bailey), Barnoldswick
'A' Company, 10th (Service) Battalion The Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment), Bramshott, August, 1915
Courtesy of Bernard Ideson
Names of identified officers and other ranks on above photograph
View Craven Herald Articles
View Craven Herald Articles
27 October 1916
BELL - On October 5th 1916, killed in action, Pte. Robert Wm. Bell, West Riding Regiment, of Settle, aged 30 years.
27 October 1916
ANOTHER SETTLE SOLDIER DIES FOR HIS COUNTRY
Official information has been received by Mr. Joseph Bell of Settle, that his son, Private Robert William Bell, had been killed in action on 5th October last. The deceased joined what is locally termed 'Tunstill's men' in September 1914, crossing to France in August 1915, since when he never had leave. He was aged 30, and prior to the war worked as a joiner and cabinetmaker with his father.
03 November 1916
CRAVEN AND THE WAR - PRIVATE ROBERT WILLIAM BELL
The above is a photograph of Private Robert William Bell, son of Mr. Joseph Bell, of Settle, who was killed in action in France, as reported in our columns last week, on October 5th 1916. Pte. Bell joined Captain Tunstill's Company in September 1914, and went to France in August 1915. He was a joiner and cabinet maker with his father and was 30 years of age.
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
25 September 1914
THE ROLL OF HONOUR
The following men have answered the appeal by joining the Settle Company of the 10th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment:-
From Austwick - William Hoyle, Wilson Pritchard, Samuel Shepherd, Fred Swale, John William Thistlewaite, George Thistlewaite.
Airton - Kayley Earnshaw.
Arncliffe - Percy Hodgson, John Simpson.
Bolton-by-Bowland - Irvine Clark, Jim Coates, Richard Davies Ellison, Harold Greenhow, Edward Victor Grubb, James Mason, Robert Singleton, Joseph Chapman Syers.
Bell Busk - Leonard Fox.
Clapham - Albert Edward Drury, Arthur Herbert Procter.
Grindleton - William Irvin Bell, James Wilding Clarkson, Joshua Crossley, William Walker.
Gisburn - Anthony Lofthouse, John Robinson.
Hellifield - James John Angus, Charles Graham, Thomas Harding, Charles Harwood, Sidney Hoar, John Ernest Linnett, Joseph Edward Preston, Thomas Procter, Christopher Ralph, Norman Roberts, Fred Graham.
Horton - John Bruce Davidson.
Ingleton - Hugh Robinson.
Longpreston - Arthur Bailey, Thomas Garnett, John Henry Hitchin, Henry Edward Horner, William Jones, James Kayley, Job Kayley, Arthur Lawson, William Henry Metcalfe, Joseph Parker, William Procter, William Rawlinson.
Langcliffe - Richard Butler, Thomas Henry Edmondson.
Marton - John Beckwith.
Malham - James Swinbank.
Newsholme - Thomas Edward Askew, Carl Parrington Branthwaite, Benjamin Ashton Butler, William Henry Scott.
Otterburn - Harry Gilbert Tunstill.
Settle - Robert William Bell, Ernest Campbell, George Clark, John Thomas Cockerill, Robert Cresswell, Herbert Dickinson, William Edward Gibson, George Jellett, Thomas Laytham, Robert Henry Maunders, Robert Newhouse, Walter Umpleby, Thomas Walsh, Solomon Richard Webb.
Stainforth - Walter Dinsdale.
Slaidburn - Edwin Isherwood, Walter Isherwood, Abel Moore, Charles Edward Parker, George Whitfield.
Wigglesworth - Fred Metcalfe, George Oversby.
Waddington - Joseph Barrett Hartley, Albert Hird [Herd], Harry Smith, Thomas Rigby, William Watson.
27 October 1916
ANOTHER SETTLE SOLDIER DIES FOR HIS COUNTRY
Official information has been received by Mr. Joseph Bell of Settle, that his son, Private Robert William Bell, had been killed in action on October 5th last. The deceased joined what is locally termed Tunstill's men' in September 1914, crossing to France in August 1915, since when he never had leave. He was aged 30, and prior to the war worked as a joiner and cabinet maker with his father.
16 November 1917
SETTLE
DEATH OF MR. JOSEPH BELL - A well-known and highly respected townsman passed away on Sunday morning, in the person of Mr. Joseph Bell, joiner and wheelwright, Chapel Hill. Sixty-nine years of age, the deceased had been ailing for twelve months, but he had only been confined to the house for the past six weeks. His father, who belonged to Long Preston, came to Settle in 1829, and founded the business to which deceased in due course succeeded and carried on with much success. The latter had also during the last forty years added to the business that of furniture broker, and he was a well-known figure at sales in this district. In the public and social life of Settle Mr. Bell also played a useful part for many years. He served on the Parish Council for a number of years, was an enthusiastic member of the old Volunteer Company, retiring with the rank of colour sergeant, and was also a keen supporter of the Settle Cricket Club, undertaking the duties of umpire for many years. In Friendly Society work also he was greatly interested, and was secretary of the Friendly United Order cf Mechanics for forty years, only retiring from this position a few months ago. He leaves a widow and five grown-up children. One of his sons, Private R. W. Bell, West Riding Regiment, was killed on the Somme on October 4th, 1916, while another, Sapper J. Bell, is serving with the Royal Engineers. At the funeral, which took place at Settle Church on Tuesday afternoon, representatives were present from the Friendly United Order of Mechanics and several other of the organisations with which deceased had been associated. The service was conducted by Rev. R. Wilson.
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