Frank Bell

Sergeant Frank William Bell (23 August 1897 – February 1960) was an observer and air gunner in the Royal Air Force during World War I. He was a flying ace credited, together with his pilot, with six aerial victories.

Biography Born George Stanley Bell in Margate, Kent, he had joined the Territorial Force in 1914 and was subsequently called up at the outbreak of World War I. In December 1914 he requested compassionate leave in order to visit his father, who was dying of tuberculosis. Permission was refused, so Bell deserted. However, in January 1915, he re-enlisted in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers under the name of Frank William Bell, falsifying both his name and date of birth. and his military records show an earlier date of birth.

Bell scored his first victory on 25 July 1918 while flying in a DH.9 of No. 49 Squadron RAF, with pilot Lieutenant Arthur Rowe Spurling, shooting down a Fokker D.VII fighter over Mont-Notre-Dame. Spurling was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, largely on the strength of this action, and Bell was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal.

The citation, published in The London Gazette on 1 November 1918, read: A keen and reliable Observer, who has taken part in eighteen bomb raids, invariably showing gallantry and devotion to duty, notably on a certain occasion not long since, when his Pilot dived through the centre of an enemy formation of some thirty machines; five of these subsequently closed on his machine, but by skilful manoeuvring the Pilot gave Serjt. Bell the opportunity, which he took quick advantage of, by shooting down two of the enemy aircraft in flames, while the remaining three broke off the combat and disappeared in the mist.

Bell's logbook records that he was hospitalized in Boulogne from 24 August and was returned to England four days later. In September he was assigned to No. 11 Squadron RAF.