Victoria Cross Recipients - Australia
Colonel Mark Bell VC CB was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. It was the first Victoria Cross awarded to a British subject born in Australia.
Mark Sever Bell was born on 15th May 1843 at Sydney, British Colony of New South Wales (now Australia). He was the third son of Hutchinson Bell and Emily Royes.[1] His father died in Sydney in 1847 and his mother returned to England with her five children shortly afterward. He appears on the 1851 Census as living at 5 Red Street, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands.
Following private tutoring he was educated at King's College School and King's College London, where he was made a Fellow in 1890. Mark's two brothers became eminent English medical doctors.Bell was 30 years old, and a Lieutenant in the Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army, during the First Ashanti Expedition on 4th February 1874 at the Battle of Ordashu, Ashanti (now Ghana) when he performed an action of noted gallantry and bravery for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. His citation reads: "For his distinguished bravery, and zealous, resolute, and self-devoted conduct at the battle of Ordahsu, on the 4th February, 1874, whilst serving under the immediate orders of Colonel Sir John Chetham McLeod, K.C.B., of the 42nd Regiment, who commanded the Advanced Guard. Sir John McLeod was an eye witness of his gallant find distinguished conduct on the occasion, and considers that this Officer's fearless and resolute bearing, being always in the front, urging on and encouraging an unarmed working party of Fantee labourers, who were exposed not only to the fire of the Enemy, but to the wild and irregular fire of the Native Troops in the rear, contributed very materially to the success of the day. By his example, he made these men do what no European party was ever required to do in warfare, namely, to work under fire in the face of the Enemy without a covering party."[2]
Mark married Angelina Dickinson in 1875 in Cricklade, Wiltshire. [3]
During the 1880s he was posted to the Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Department in India, Burma and then China. During this time it is recorded that he travelled 20,000 kilometres (12,000 miles) in generally (then) unknown parts of Central Asia, China and the East. However, it was also during this time that his marriage broke down.
Mark married for the second time, to Nora Roger, daughter of Hext Roger Esq. of Inceworth South Devon, on 16th April 1890 in St Paul's Church, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London. [4] They had three children:
Mark later attained the rank of Colonel and, in 1890, was appointed commanding officer of Shornecliff military barracks, Folkestone, Kent. In 1893, he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). His last command was of the Royal Engineers, Western District from 1894 to 1898. He was appointed ADC to Queen Victoria from 1897 to 1900.
He passed away, aged 63 years, on 26th June 1906 in Earlywood Lodge, Sunninghill, Windlesham, Surrey, and is buried in All Soul's Churchyard, South Ascot, Berkshire. [5] His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum, Chatham, England. His widow and daughter continued to worship in All Souls' Church and, in the year following his death, gave the church a stained glass east window.
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Categories: Royal Engineers | Windlesham, Surrey | Cricklade, Wiltshire | St Helier, Jersey | Sydney, New South Wales | King's College, London | Companions of the Order of the Bath | British Military Officers | England, Notables | Notables | Victoria Cross