Name

David Bell.

Description

Belfast Telegraph Newspaper Photograph of Stoker 1st Class David Bell.

Life Story

Name: David Bell.

Service Number: SS/108915

Rank: Stoker 1st Class.

Battalion: H.M.S Hawke.

Regiment: Royal Navy.

Born: 24th September 1887, Ballymena.

Died: 15th October 1915.

Address: 2 Ambleside Street, Belfast

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David Bell, son of Edmund and Jane Bell, lived with his wife at 2 Ambleside Street, Shankill Road, Belfast

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He had married Annie Bell, Nee McAuley, on the 25th January 1908 within Trinity Church Belfast. They went onto have their child Mary on the 13th of July 1908

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The 1901 Ireland Census had David living at 24 Ambleside Street, Shankill Road, Belfast with his mother, occupation, House Keeper, father, Builders Labourer, and grandmother, Martha Brady, 66 years, House Keeper. David's occupation at this time is given as Message Boy

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David joined the Royal Navy on the 16th July 1909.

He served on a number of ships throughout his career, including the following: H.M.S Acheron, H.M.S Pembroke II, H.M.S Tyne, H.M.S St George, H.M.S Blenheim, H.M.S Egmont, H.M.S Vindictive before ending aboard H.M.S Hawke.

David, aged 28 years, was a Stoker 1st Class within the Royal Navy when while serving aboard H.M.S Hawke he Drowned, Died At Sea, his ship having been attacked and sunk by a German Submarine, U 9, on the 15th of October 1914.

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A local newspaper states.

Mrs Woods 19 James Street, Belfast, has been notified that her husband, Rifleman T Woods, 2nd Battalion RIR, was killed in action on the 25th October. A brother in law of the deceased, First Class Stoker David Bell, was lost in the Hawke Disaster

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This sadly shows that Annie and her sister Elizabeth both lost their husbands within the same month

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David's Naval Pension Application Form shows his widow Annie as claimant.

A Dependant Pension Application Form shows not only David's wife and daughter as claimant, but also that his pension was paid into the Shankill Road Post Office.

David's wife remarried Richard Miskimmon on the 11th December 1915

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It is also worth mentioning that S.A.S.H sadly could not find David Bell within the All Ireland, World War I Casualties, 1914-1922, Memorial Book.

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David received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914 Star

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He is Remembered at Chatham Naval Memorial, United Kingdom.

To Remember Is To Honour

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