Subject

LH Thomas Arnold DD RH William of Wykeham

Text

n/a

Inscription

A.M.D.G. In memory of John Bell died of wounds France 17th Dec.1917 and of George Russell Bell died of wounds France 4th Dec. 1918.

Description & History

The memorial to John and George Bell was among the early windows completed by Mervyn Napier Waller after his return from a trip to England in 1930, where he studies stained glass and mosaics. The strong clear colour is typical of his earliest stained glass, and can be compared to the lighter tones in his later windows in All Saints' Chapel. Waller used a vegetal 'architectural' border to his work, very much in the style of the Christopher Whall window, St. Giles and St. Francis (c1924) that exemplified his distinctive Arts & Crafts manner. The figures of the two pedagogues, each man depicted with a young student, sought to evoke the importance of a well-rounded Christian education in the moulding of John and George Russell. Gift of the Bell family, theThomas Arnoldand William Wykeham window was dedicated on 28 April 1931 by the Reverend KJF Bickersteth, MC, MA, Headmaster of St. Peter's College, Adelaide.

John Bell enlisted in the 1 Australian Lighthorse on 12 September 1914, serving in the Middle East and Gallipoli before being invalided out to Malta and England. In March 1916 he resigned to take up a commission with the Royal Flying Corps. He served with 68 Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps in France from March the following year and was appointed Captain in October 1917. Bell was badly wounded by enemy gunfire on 20 November 1917 during the divebombing of German trenches but managed to successfully bring his damaged plane back behind the Allies' lines despite his injuries. The chest wound was serious and complications caused his condition to be listed as critical. Captain Bell died on 28 December 1917 and was buried in Tincourt New British Military Cemetery, a few miles from Peronne.

John's youngest brother, George Russell Bell, joined the Royal Field Artillery in England. He was awarded the Military Cross 'for initiative, gallantry and devotion to duty near Biastre, on 23rd October 1918' after taking command of a battery whose officers were all badly wounded and battle orders lost and successfully taking part in the ensuing operation. Wounded in the last days of the war, Second Lieutenant Bell died one month later, on 4 December 1918 and was buried at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.

References & Acknowledgements

AWM Roll of Honour; NAA: B2455, Bell J; James Affleck, Geelong Grammarians at the Great War, Cliffe Books and the Geelong Grammarians Foundation, Melbourne, 1999, pp.11-12; The Corian, 1917-19; Nicholas Draffin, The Art of M. Napier Waller, Sun Books, South Melbourne, 1978; http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1