Rank: Captain
Regiment: Middlesex Regiment, 17th Battalion.
Secondary Unit/Regiment: attd. H.Q. 99th Infantry Brigade
Awards: Military Cross & Bar
Died: 24th March 1918
Age: 32 years old
Edward Inkerman Jordan Bell MC & Bar was a British professional footballer who played for Southampton in the early 20th century. He later was a soldier who was twice awarded for gallantry in WW1 but died in the Battle of the Somme in March1918.
Born in Gibraltar in 1886, Edward was the son of Major Edward Inkerman Bell (Royal Fusiliers), and Mary Anne 'Minnie' Bell (née Jordan). They had married in 1879. Edward had five siblings, Francis, Charles, Henry, Reginald and Kathleen. Edward was educated in Ireland.
His father was later stationed at Aldershot. Edward worked as a Post Office Clerk in Farnborough. It was here that he played his early football for South Farnborough.
After a short period with Crystal Palace as an amateur in February 1907, when he made a small number of appearances in the reserve team in the London and Western League, and a trial with Portsmouth, Edward was signed by Southampton of the Southern League in March 1907. He went straight into the team, making two appearances at outside-right in April as a replacement for triallist J. Patten; both matches, against Queens Park Rangers and Fulham, ended in 3–0 defeats. Edward made two more appearances in the 1907–08 season, as a replacement for John Bainbridge and was released at the end of the season. Edward returned to South Farnborough and was re-instated as an amateur, working as a Government Contracts Inspector.
With the outbreak of the First World War, Edward joined the 17th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment as a Second Lieutenant on the 1st October 1914, eventually rising to the rank of Acting Captain.
Edward served as Adjutant to Major Frank Buckley (later to become Manager of several football clubs, including Blackpool, Wolves and Leeds United) In July 1916 Major Buckley was wounded at the battle for Delville Wood, and Edward assumed command of the battalion.
For his actions during the battle he was awarded the Military Cross. Announced in the London Gazette, Supplement 29793 dated the 20th October 1916, the citation states:
For conspicuous gallantry during operations.
"Finding himself in command of the battalion he repelled a counter-attack with great determination. On another occasion he rescued several men from a blown-in dugout"
Following the disbanding of the Battalion in February 1918, Edward was attached to the 99th Infantry Brigade. He was killed by an enemy shell near Albert on the 24th March 1918 during the Battle of the Somme
In July 1918, he received a posthumous "Bar" to his Military Cross. Announced in the London Gazette, Supplement 30801 dated the 18th July 1918, the citation states:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.
"While holding a section of the front line he located and supervised the formation of forward dumps of ammunition and material. He carried out the work in daylight close to the enemy, and often under very heavy shell and machine-gun fire".
Edward was buried in Albert Communal Cemetery Extension. He is also commemorated in the following locations:
On the war memorial tablet in St. George's Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
His name is commemorated in the Rushmoor Roll of Honour for Citizens of Aldershot, Farnborough and Cove who fell in the First World War.
As for his personal life during WW1, Edward married Edith Annie Crook in 1915, their marriage being registered in Kings Norton, Warwickshire. In October 1918, six months after Edward's death, Edith gave birth to a son who she named Edward Inkerman Jordan Bell after his father. Their home was at 7, Duchess Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Edith was granted a gratuity of £250 and a war pension of £100 per annum plus £24 for her son Edward.
Edward would go on to be a decorated RAF officer in the Second World War. As an acting Squadron Leader piloting Mosquito aircraft, he was captured by the Germans and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III at Sagan, the scene of the Great Escape. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The citation stated:
"This officer has participated in operational sorties over many heavily defended targets, including Berlin, Kiel and the Ruhr. These attacks have invariably been completed with courage and skill. Squadron Leader Ball has set a fine example to his Flight and Squadron. His leadership has contributed in no small measure to their successes".
He later served in the Korean War in the North Staffordshire Regiment, retiring with the rank of Major. He died on the 28th May 1993 at the age of seventy four.
Postscript: 31st March 2023
Back in February, I contacted the CWGC as I knew that the Bar to Edward's Military Cross should be engraved on his headstone. I received the following reply today.
"Thank you for contacting the Commission and apologies for the delay in our response.
You are quite right that 'Bar' should be engraved on Captain Bell's headstone. Unfortunately omissions such as these sometimes occur on original headstones, predominately due to the vast number of headstones that were being produced during one particular time frame.
Please be assured that this has been noted and when the headstone next needs replacing, Captain Bell's decorations will be fully engraved on the headstone.
In closing, we appreciate you bringing this to our attention".
(Woose)
(Sources: CWGC, Ancestry, Find My Past, Wikipedia, London Gazette, Southampton FC Players Archive, Football and the First World War, RAF Commands, IWM, newspaper archives)
(Bio: Woose)
Regiment: Middlesex Regiment, 17th Battalion.
Secondary Unit/Regiment: attd. H.Q. 99th Infantry Brigade
Awards: Military Cross & Bar
Died: 24th March 1918
Age: 32 years old
Edward Inkerman Jordan Bell MC & Bar was a British professional footballer who played for Southampton in the early 20th century. He later was a soldier who was twice awarded for gallantry in WW1 but died in the Battle of the Somme in March1918.
Born in Gibraltar in 1886, Edward was the son of Major Edward Inkerman Bell (Royal Fusiliers), and Mary Anne 'Minnie' Bell (née Jordan). They had married in 1879. Edward had five siblings, Francis, Charles, Henry, Reginald and Kathleen. Edward was educated in Ireland.
His father was later stationed at Aldershot. Edward worked as a Post Office Clerk in Farnborough. It was here that he played his early football for South Farnborough.
After a short period with Crystal Palace as an amateur in February 1907, when he made a small number of appearances in the reserve team in the London and Western League, and a trial with Portsmouth, Edward was signed by Southampton of the Southern League in March 1907. He went straight into the team, making two appearances at outside-right in April as a replacement for triallist J. Patten; both matches, against Queens Park Rangers and Fulham, ended in 3–0 defeats. Edward made two more appearances in the 1907–08 season, as a replacement for John Bainbridge and was released at the end of the season. Edward returned to South Farnborough and was re-instated as an amateur, working as a Government Contracts Inspector.
With the outbreak of the First World War, Edward joined the 17th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment as a Second Lieutenant on the 1st October 1914, eventually rising to the rank of Acting Captain.
Edward served as Adjutant to Major Frank Buckley (later to become Manager of several football clubs, including Blackpool, Wolves and Leeds United) In July 1916 Major Buckley was wounded at the battle for Delville Wood, and Edward assumed command of the battalion.
For his actions during the battle he was awarded the Military Cross. Announced in the London Gazette, Supplement 29793 dated the 20th October 1916, the citation states:
For conspicuous gallantry during operations.
"Finding himself in command of the battalion he repelled a counter-attack with great determination. On another occasion he rescued several men from a blown-in dugout"
Following the disbanding of the Battalion in February 1918, Edward was attached to the 99th Infantry Brigade. He was killed by an enemy shell near Albert on the 24th March 1918 during the Battle of the Somme
In July 1918, he received a posthumous "Bar" to his Military Cross. Announced in the London Gazette, Supplement 30801 dated the 18th July 1918, the citation states:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.
"While holding a section of the front line he located and supervised the formation of forward dumps of ammunition and material. He carried out the work in daylight close to the enemy, and often under very heavy shell and machine-gun fire".
Edward was buried in Albert Communal Cemetery Extension. He is also commemorated in the following locations:
On the war memorial tablet in St. George's Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
His name is commemorated in the Rushmoor Roll of Honour for Citizens of Aldershot, Farnborough and Cove who fell in the First World War.
As for his personal life during WW1, Edward married Edith Annie Crook in 1915, their marriage being registered in Kings Norton, Warwickshire. In October 1918, six months after Edward's death, Edith gave birth to a son who she named Edward Inkerman Jordan Bell after his father. Their home was at 7, Duchess Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Edith was granted a gratuity of £250 and a war pension of £100 per annum plus £24 for her son Edward.
Edward would go on to be a decorated RAF officer in the Second World War. As an acting Squadron Leader piloting Mosquito aircraft, he was captured by the Germans and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III at Sagan, the scene of the Great Escape. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The citation stated:
"This officer has participated in operational sorties over many heavily defended targets, including Berlin, Kiel and the Ruhr. These attacks have invariably been completed with courage and skill. Squadron Leader Ball has set a fine example to his Flight and Squadron. His leadership has contributed in no small measure to their successes".
He later served in the Korean War in the North Staffordshire Regiment, retiring with the rank of Major. He died on the 28th May 1993 at the age of seventy four.
Postscript: 31st March 2023
Back in February, I contacted the CWGC as I knew that the Bar to Edward's Military Cross should be engraved on his headstone. I received the following reply today.
"Thank you for contacting the Commission and apologies for the delay in our response.
You are quite right that 'Bar' should be engraved on Captain Bell's headstone. Unfortunately omissions such as these sometimes occur on original headstones, predominately due to the vast number of headstones that were being produced during one particular time frame.
Please be assured that this has been noted and when the headstone next needs replacing, Captain Bell's decorations will be fully engraved on the headstone.
In closing, we appreciate you bringing this to our attention".
(Woose)
(Sources: CWGC, Ancestry, Find My Past, Wikipedia, London Gazette, Southampton FC Players Archive, Football and the First World War, RAF Commands, IWM, newspaper archives)
(Bio: Woose)
Rank: Captain
Regiment: Middlesex Regiment, 17th Battalion.
Secondary Unit/Regiment: attd. H.Q. 99th Infantry Brigade
Awards: Military Cross & Bar
Died: 24th March 1918
Age: 32 years old
Edward Inkerman Jordan Bell MC & Bar was a British professional footballer who played for Southampton in the early 20th century. He later was a soldier who was twice awarded for gallantry in WW1 but died in the Battle of the Somme in March1918.
Born in Gibraltar in 1886, Edward was the son of Major Edward Inkerman Bell (Royal Fusiliers), and Mary Anne 'Minnie' Bell (née Jordan). They had married in 1879. Edward had five siblings, Francis, Charles, Henry, Reginald and Kathleen. Edward was educated in Ireland.
His father was later stationed at Aldershot. Edward worked as a Post Office Clerk in Farnborough. It was here that he played his early football for South Farnborough.
After a short period with Crystal Palace as an amateur in February 1907, when he made a small number of appearances in the reserve team in the London and Western League, and a trial with Portsmouth, Edward was signed by Southampton of the Southern League in March 1907. He went straight into the team, making two appearances at outside-right in April as a replacement for triallist J. Patten; both matches, against Queens Park Rangers and Fulham, ended in 3–0 defeats. Edward made two more appearances in the 1907–08 season, as a replacement for John Bainbridge and was released at the end of the season. Edward returned to South Farnborough and was re-instated as an amateur, working as a Government Contracts Inspector.
With the outbreak of the First World War, Edward joined the 17th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment as a Second Lieutenant on the 1st October 1914, eventually rising to the rank of Acting Captain.
Edward served as Adjutant to Major Frank Buckley (later to become Manager of several football clubs, including Blackpool, Wolves and Leeds United) In July 1916 Major Buckley was wounded at the battle for Delville Wood, and Edward assumed command of the battalion.
For his actions during the battle he was awarded the Military Cross. Announced in the London Gazette, Supplement 29793 dated the 20th October 1916, the citation states:
For conspicuous gallantry during operations.
"Finding himself in command of the battalion he repelled a counter-attack with great determination. On another occasion he rescued several men from a blown-in dugout"
Following the disbanding of the Battalion in February 1918, Edward was attached to the 99th Infantry Brigade. He was killed by an enemy shell near Albert on the 24th March 1918 during the Battle of the Somme
In July 1918, he received a posthumous "Bar" to his Military Cross. Announced in the London Gazette, Supplement 30801 dated the 18th July 1918, the citation states:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.
"While holding a section of the front line he located and supervised the formation of forward dumps of ammunition and material. He carried out the work in daylight close to the enemy, and often under very heavy shell and machine-gun fire".
Edward was buried in Albert Communal Cemetery Extension. He is also commemorated in the following locations:
On the war memorial tablet in St. George's Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
His name is commemorated in the Rushmoor Roll of Honour for Citizens of Aldershot, Farnborough and Cove who fell in the First World War.
As for his personal life during WW1, Edward married Edith Annie Crook in 1915, their marriage being registered in Kings Norton, Warwickshire. In October 1918, six months after Edward's death, Edith gave birth to a son who she named Edward Inkerman Jordan Bell after his father. Their home was at 7, Duchess Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Edith was granted a gratuity of £250 and a war pension of £100 per annum plus £24 for her son Edward.
Edward would go on to be a decorated RAF officer in the Second World War. As an acting Squadron Leader piloting Mosquito aircraft, he was captured by the Germans and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III at Sagan, the scene of the Great Escape. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The citation stated:
"This officer has participated in operational sorties over many heavily defended targets, including Berlin, Kiel and the Ruhr. These attacks have invariably been completed with courage and skill. Squadron Leader Ball has set a fine example to his Flight and Squadron. His leadership has contributed in no small measure to their successes".
He later served in the Korean War in the North Staffordshire Regiment, retiring with the rank of Major. He died on the 28th May 1993 at the age of seventy four.
Postscript: 31st March 2023
Back in February, I contacted the CWGC as I knew that the Bar to Edward's Military Cross should be engraved on his headstone. I received the following reply today.
"Thank you for contacting the Commission and apologies for the delay in our response.
You are quite right that 'Bar' should be engraved on Captain Bell's headstone. Unfortunately omissions such as these sometimes occur on original headstones, predominately due to the vast number of headstones that were being produced during one particular time frame.
Please be assured that this has been noted and when the headstone next needs replacing, Captain Bell's decorations will be fully engraved on the headstone.
In closing, we appreciate you bringing this to our attention".
(Woose)
(Sources: CWGC, Ancestry, Find My Past, Wikipedia, London Gazette, Southampton FC Players Archive, Football and the First World War, RAF Commands, IWM, newspaper archives)
(Bio: Woose)
Regiment: Middlesex Regiment, 17th Battalion.
Secondary Unit/Regiment: attd. H.Q. 99th Infantry Brigade
Awards: Military Cross & Bar
Died: 24th March 1918
Age: 32 years old
Edward Inkerman Jordan Bell MC & Bar was a British professional footballer who played for Southampton in the early 20th century. He later was a soldier who was twice awarded for gallantry in WW1 but died in the Battle of the Somme in March1918.
Born in Gibraltar in 1886, Edward was the son of Major Edward Inkerman Bell (Royal Fusiliers), and Mary Anne 'Minnie' Bell (née Jordan). They had married in 1879. Edward had five siblings, Francis, Charles, Henry, Reginald and Kathleen. Edward was educated in Ireland.
His father was later stationed at Aldershot. Edward worked as a Post Office Clerk in Farnborough. It was here that he played his early football for South Farnborough.
After a short period with Crystal Palace as an amateur in February 1907, when he made a small number of appearances in the reserve team in the London and Western League, and a trial with Portsmouth, Edward was signed by Southampton of the Southern League in March 1907. He went straight into the team, making two appearances at outside-right in April as a replacement for triallist J. Patten; both matches, against Queens Park Rangers and Fulham, ended in 3–0 defeats. Edward made two more appearances in the 1907–08 season, as a replacement for John Bainbridge and was released at the end of the season. Edward returned to South Farnborough and was re-instated as an amateur, working as a Government Contracts Inspector.
With the outbreak of the First World War, Edward joined the 17th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment as a Second Lieutenant on the 1st October 1914, eventually rising to the rank of Acting Captain.
Edward served as Adjutant to Major Frank Buckley (later to become Manager of several football clubs, including Blackpool, Wolves and Leeds United) In July 1916 Major Buckley was wounded at the battle for Delville Wood, and Edward assumed command of the battalion.
For his actions during the battle he was awarded the Military Cross. Announced in the London Gazette, Supplement 29793 dated the 20th October 1916, the citation states:
For conspicuous gallantry during operations.
"Finding himself in command of the battalion he repelled a counter-attack with great determination. On another occasion he rescued several men from a blown-in dugout"
Following the disbanding of the Battalion in February 1918, Edward was attached to the 99th Infantry Brigade. He was killed by an enemy shell near Albert on the 24th March 1918 during the Battle of the Somme
In July 1918, he received a posthumous "Bar" to his Military Cross. Announced in the London Gazette, Supplement 30801 dated the 18th July 1918, the citation states:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.
"While holding a section of the front line he located and supervised the formation of forward dumps of ammunition and material. He carried out the work in daylight close to the enemy, and often under very heavy shell and machine-gun fire".
Edward was buried in Albert Communal Cemetery Extension. He is also commemorated in the following locations:
On the war memorial tablet in St. George's Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
His name is commemorated in the Rushmoor Roll of Honour for Citizens of Aldershot, Farnborough and Cove who fell in the First World War.
As for his personal life during WW1, Edward married Edith Annie Crook in 1915, their marriage being registered in Kings Norton, Warwickshire. In October 1918, six months after Edward's death, Edith gave birth to a son who she named Edward Inkerman Jordan Bell after his father. Their home was at 7, Duchess Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Edith was granted a gratuity of £250 and a war pension of £100 per annum plus £24 for her son Edward.
Edward would go on to be a decorated RAF officer in the Second World War. As an acting Squadron Leader piloting Mosquito aircraft, he was captured by the Germans and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III at Sagan, the scene of the Great Escape. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The citation stated:
"This officer has participated in operational sorties over many heavily defended targets, including Berlin, Kiel and the Ruhr. These attacks have invariably been completed with courage and skill. Squadron Leader Ball has set a fine example to his Flight and Squadron. His leadership has contributed in no small measure to their successes".
He later served in the Korean War in the North Staffordshire Regiment, retiring with the rank of Major. He died on the 28th May 1993 at the age of seventy four.
Postscript: 31st March 2023
Back in February, I contacted the CWGC as I knew that the Bar to Edward's Military Cross should be engraved on his headstone. I received the following reply today.
"Thank you for contacting the Commission and apologies for the delay in our response.
You are quite right that 'Bar' should be engraved on Captain Bell's headstone. Unfortunately omissions such as these sometimes occur on original headstones, predominately due to the vast number of headstones that were being produced during one particular time frame.
Please be assured that this has been noted and when the headstone next needs replacing, Captain Bell's decorations will be fully engraved on the headstone.
In closing, we appreciate you bringing this to our attention".
(Woose)
(Sources: CWGC, Ancestry, Find My Past, Wikipedia, London Gazette, Southampton FC Players Archive, Football and the First World War, RAF Commands, IWM, newspaper archives)
(Bio: Woose)
Inscription
HE STILL LIVES ON
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
