Richard Bell was born in Cookstown, and at the outbreak of the First World War he was living and working in Glasgow. He enlisted in Glasgow with the 10th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). In July 1917 Richard was seriously wounded and taken to hospital in Etaples. It had been hoped to get him to hospital in England but by the time of his arrival at Etaples he was considered too ill to travel. He died there on 22nd July 1917.
Further Information
Richard Bell was born in Cookstown.
Richard was living and working in Glasgow at the outbreak of the First World War.
He enlisted in Glasgow with the 10th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
In July 1917 Richard was seriously wounded and taken to hospital in Etaples. It had been hoped to get him to hospital in England but by the time of his arrival at Etaples he was considered too ill to travel.
Private Richard Bell died of wounds in Etaples on Sunday 22nd July 1917.
Private Richard Bell is buried in plot 25- row K- grave 3 at Etaples Cemetery, France.
The town of Etaples is about 27 kilometres south of Boulogne and during the First World War the area around the town was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals.
The area was chosen for this purpose as it was considered remote from enemy attack, except from aircraft, and was accessible by railway from both the northern and southern battlefields.
By 1917 there were an estimated 100,000 troops camped among the sand dunes here. There were 11 General Hospitals, one stationary, 4 Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot which could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick.
The cemetery at Etaples is the largest Commonwealth cemetery in France with 10,773 burials from the First World War. It also contains 658 German burials and 119 burials from World War 2.
The Glasgow Evening Times Roll of Honour does not list Richard Bell.
The CWGC do not list any relative when they were organising headstones.
