Lt F W BELL VC

Lieutenant (later Lt Colonel) West Australian Mounted Infantry

On 16 May 1901 at Brakpan, Transvaal, South Africa, when retiring under heavy fire, Lieutenant Bell noticed a man dismounted. 

He returned and took him up behind him, but the horse not being equal to the weight, fell with them. 

The Lieutenant then remained behind, covering the man's retirement until he was out of danger."

Victoria Cross	Queen's South Africa	King's South Africa	Africa General Service Medal	1914/15 Star
British War Medal	Victory & MID	Edward VII Coronation	George VI Coronation	QE2 Coronation

The medals, 10 in all, consist of the  Victoria Cross Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps for Wittenbergen,  Diamond Hill,  Johannesburg,  Cape Colony King's South Africa Medal clasps for  South Africa 1901 and  South Africa 1902  Africa General Service Medal with clasp   Somaliland 1908-10 1914-15 Star,  British War Medal,  Victory Medal with Oak Leaf (Mention in Dispatches),   Medals for the Coronations of Edward VII,  George VI and  Elizabeth II.

Lt Col Frederick William Bell, who won the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry at Brakpan in the South African War, died at Bristol on Wednesday at the age of 79.

He won the decoration on May 16th, 1901, at Brakpan.  He was retiring under heavy fire after holding the right flank when he saw a colleague who was dismounted.  In spite of the intensity of fire he turned about, went to the man's aid, and took him up behind him on his horse.  The weight of the two men proved too great for the animal, which fell with them. Bell thereupon insisted that the man should mount the horse and make his escape. Bell remained behind and covered his retirement until he was out of danger. Bell also saw active service in Somaliland and later in the 1914-18 War. He later served as a political officer in British Somaliland and as an administrative officer in both Nigeria and Kenya Colony.  He retired from the colonial service in 1925 and at the time the circumstances surrounding his retirement received a considerable amount of prominence.

Bell in WW1

The late Lord Delamere moved a resolution in the Administrative Assembly of Kenya drawing the attention to "the reprimand and notice of termination of his services, given by the Government to Lt Col FW Bell VC, a District Commissioner, following his evidence before the Masai Inquiry Committee".

The Government contended that Bell's retirement had been previously recommended on the ground that he had reached the age limit, and that it was not connected with the evidence that he had given."

Another document sent was a photocopy of an article published in The West Australian Mercury of 21st October 1901. In essence this was a transcript of a letter FW had sent to his parents, dated 10th August and says that since his last letter:

"The contingent have had a tough time, but are recompensed by the results of same, taking in all 50 prisoners, innumerable waggons, cattle, horses and sheep; also mealie and foodstuff. This morning we left Ermelo after spending yesterday there in collecting the inhabitants who were the Boers' best friends. We fought a pretty severe rear-guard action coming away; as we evacuated, the enemy again going in and following us to this camp, the strength of the commando being 800. Many handsome buildings we were compelled to burn, and last night was unique in my experience. 

Imagine a dozen houses at least in blaze at one time; and again our column camped on the outskirts, having huge bonfire concerts, with instruments looted from the adjacent houses, including at least five pianos among the different regiments, everybody enjoying the scene and life, and merriment prevailing on all sides. Such a sight is not easily forgotten and, no doubt, the night of 10-8-1901 will live a long time in our memories. A few nights since we had the good fortune to bag 25 prisoners. Marching all night we surrounded a farm just as dawn was breaking. We fixed bayonets and charged with a yell, with the result of capturing without a shot. 

Some trouble was experienced in getting them out of the houses, but a few men with cold steel worked wonders. They were, indeed, a motley lot and, strange to say, amongst them were some old enemies of ours whom we had previously met at Brakpan. We identified them by saddlery, wearing apparel etc., etc., taken from the killed at that place. One man was also wearing a ring our men recognised as belonging to a dead comrade. Our prisoner tried very hard to hide himself in the roof; it was funny to see him poked out of hiding with a bayonet. In this capture, as Tommy would say, we "got our own back".

We are now on route to Carolina and, on arrival there expect a good mail. In regard to letters lately captured at Reits, I can place very little reliance on them. The prisoners taken assure us that Botha has not the least intention of giving up. This trek we have been in a lot of the same country as when with Kitchener. The third night out we secured 18 prisoners in the same manner as before mentioned. This portion of the Transvaal is now one burnt out and blackened mass. The want of grass is beginning to tell on the Boers' cattle and horses; those captured by us are, many of them, in poor condition. Only this morning we shot over 50 wild ones driven in by us and found to be useless. 

A few words in reference to the contingent. The men have now thoroughly settled down to the work and are beginning to understand the wily burgher and his many varied and own peculiar ways of fighting; they have not had, as predicted in the first, a huge picnic. Hard work and plenty of fighting have been the general thing, intermingling with severe night marches in the biting cold. There are few things more fatiguing or trying than the latter. How entirely different everything now is when compared with the general advance of eighteen months ago, unless actually experienced, very few can form any idea of what a prolonged and severe campaign like this really means. Country, one devastated burnt and blackened mass; home and belongings consigned to the flames, as each column winds along; cattle, sheep and livestock either destroyed or driven in; families given short notice to leave their all and come along after watching the destruction of homes they have known since childhood. 

I am not, in the least, an admirer of the Boer or his ways, but, taking all these things into consideration, I cannot censure him for killing as many of us as possible. What would Englishmen, or Australians, do under the same conditions as our enemies but fight to the last? Blood is thicker than water. Even so, we cannot but admire the Dutch women for their loyalty, self-sacrifice and devotion they have shown to the men fighting against us; now alas, for them, a forlorn cause. Small skirmishes are now the order of the day. The Boers are now broken up into small parties. Nevertheless, hey cause us plenty of hard work, with minimum risk to themselves; knowing every nook and corner as they do, it is a simple matter for them to evade us. Night work appears the only way of surprising them as, owing to the intensely cold weather, they are compelled to take shelter in some of the farms. Snipe, snipe, snipe from ridge to ridge, and so the rear-guard usually gets it. Guerilla war-fare is now the correct term. From information gleaned from recent prisoners bagged, this struggle seems no nearer termination than it was twelve months ago. The man who changeth not is the Australian soldier. He goes his way happy in the possession of loot and a good horse, and although, perhaps, the weight of a little pig or, perchance a duck on the saddle tells on his mount, he fights none the worse for it. The latest scheme has been collecting kaffirs; the spectacle of a regiment of niggers of all ages and descriptions, from the picaninny to the aged gin with not enough clothing amongst them to make a decent dishcloth, is indeed funny. So they do their daily march in rear of the convoy, carrying their worldly belongings with them. 

One of the most striking features of the campaign is the necessary destruction of yoke oxen, horses, mules etc. These poor dumb brutes are forced along until they drop from sheer exhaustion, being then shot and left to rot. When I tell you I have seen as many as twenty oxen drop on one march, you will form some idea of the number required; horses even in greater proportion are destroyed. Good old John Bull is ever ready with a fresh one; his purse strings are being pulled severely, however. Something out of the ordinary I witnessed the other evening. We had collected a number of Dutch women and children. It being Sunday night in camp, they asked permission to sing hymns. On being granted them, and after going through well known "Sankey's", assisted by our own Tommies, they sang "Where is my wandering boy tonight?", first in their own tongue and then in ours. 

This last would have been quite as successful as the former, only our fellows would be original and substitute the word "girl" in lieu of "boy", which caused the ladies, after singing the Dutch National Anthem, to retire, and so the proceedings ended with "God Save the King" from the lusty throats of three or four hundred Britishers. probably you are wondering where the Boers' supplies are coming from and how he exists. 'Tis a simple matter, for every farm there are at least two kaffir kraals; until quite recently these have been left intact by us, notwithstanding they all contained large supplies of mealies, millet etc. 

As the Boer believes in Might before Right, the consequence is that the kaffir has to part with his stock. We are the sufferers. In addition to this, his cattle are unmolested, with the result of the Boer coming behind and helping himself. There are supplies hidden in the country to keep them for many months to come. We are continually bringing to light such things. A favourite place for hiding different articles is their graveyards, shaping the earth so as to resemble a newly made grave. We make some very fair finds in these places; also in the rocks and on the banks of steams we dig up loot of all descriptions.

A rather amusing incident occurred prior to leaving Ermalo. I was behind with a small post. It appears that two privates remained in town after the column had moved out, with the result of the Boers coming in on top of them. As they only had one horse, they tossed a coin as to who would remain behind, whilst the other took his chance of running the gauntlet. The man who decided to ride for it had a bad time, for as he approached me I gave my men the order for volleys, never dreaming he was one of our own men, as I knew the enemy to be in the town. By his waving and shouting I saw something was amiss, and let him approach. Fortunately he was not hit, only scared. The man who was compelled to remain was wounded and taken prisoner, being subsequently released, and arriving at camp the same evening. Both belonged to the Scottish Horse."

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