Description
1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medal, French Croix de Guerre 1914-1918, with bronze star on ribbon, 41261 Sergeant Alexander Syson Bell, Royal Army Medical Corps. A Scotsman in the 108th Ulster Field Ambulance.
France Croix de Guerre announced in the London Gazette, 19th June 1919.
War Diary records presentation of the Croix de Guerre during a Church Parade on 8th December 1918.
Trio officially impressed: “41261 SJT A.S. BELL. R.A.M.C.”
All 4 are display mounted, trio on modern ribbons, Cross on old silk.
Alexander Syson Bell, was born on 8th February 1880 in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland. The son of Alexander David Bell and Janet Cooper (Cockburn) Syson.
By the time of World War 1, he appears to have been in Belfast, Ireland where he attested for service with the Royal Army Medical Corps as number 41261.
The numbers directly before and after his service number, attested for service at Belfast on 19th September 1914, so it appears he did also.
Also his son Alexander (Sonny) Bell, was born in 1910 in Motherwell, but died in Belfast during May 1915 before he departed for war.
The death records state that his father Alexander was a Sergeant in the Royal Irish Regiment.
He sailed with the regiment from Southampton on 2nd October 1915, and arrived at Le Havre on 3rd October 1915, beginning his war service.
It appears he entered the war already with the rank of Sergeant, he was 34 years old so perhaps he had some experience already.
He served through the war with the 108th Field Ambulance R.A.M.C., part of the 36th Ulster Division.
In late 1918 from September to November the unit was involved in a lot of stretcher bearer duties around Ypres during the 5th Battle of Ypres.
The War Diary records that on 1st December 1918, Sergeant Bell would be awarded the Croix de Guerre.
Following week on 8th December 1918 it records that it was presented during a Church Parade.
A later entry from 7th April 1919 records that Sergt A.S. Bell with 2 Privates reported to Lillie A.P.M., to pick up an Ambulance Driver from Paris & return to the camp at Mouscron, Belgium.
He died on 6th January 1949 at 54 Niddrie Road, Glasgow, shown as having worked as a Journeyman Cabinetmaker.
