Early Life :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

He was a regular attendee at the lodge when he enlisted into the local territorial force in Park Street, Bootle as Private, 6062. 2/7th Battalion, The King’s, (Liverpool Regiment). He attested on 20th November 1915, being placed in the Army reserve the following day. He gave his details as being 36 years and 1 month, 5 foot 5 inches in height, weighing 116 lbs, with a 32 and ½ inch chest, residing with his wife at 95 Banks Road, Bootle.

John was sent to Ramsgate for training with the 44th Provost Battalion, and agreed to Imperial Service abroad on 3rd March 1916 (as a Territorial he could not be forced to serve outside the United Kingdom), and he was passed fit for general service abroad, Class A, on 10th April 1916. The training must have agreed with him as he had now been measured as having grown ¾ inch in height, adding 3lb in weight. It is likely that his wife had taken lodgings in Ramsgate to be near him at this time as she is recorded on the army forms as residing at 29 Adelaide Gardens in that town.

The Liverpool Echo of Friday 21 July 1916 contained a small piece which says, Private John Coates Bell, a teacher from St Mary’s School had joined the army in February last, and met his death whilst on railway military duty in this country. Looking further afield a number of newspapers in Kent gave a report on the inquest the fullest being the Dover Express of 28 July 1916 under the title ‘Killed on the line, cyclist soldier’s shocking injuries. It has ‘ An inquest on the body of Pte John Coates Bell, a soldier in the 44th Provisional Batt. King’s Liverpool Regiment was held at the Walmer Castle Hotel, Deal, on Thursday by Dr F W Hardman. Pte Coates Bell was killed while on the river bridge near Minster waiting for a train to pass. Deceased injuries consisted of the right leg almost severed, a severe contusion on the back and left side, several broken ribs, and it was thought by Dr F B Hulke, a broken back.

Deceased, it appeared had been sent to check an inventory of an outlying guardroom property, his route lying over the bridge he had taken his bicycle with him. The driver, fireman and guard of the train, the 12.55 pm Dover Harbour to Minster all said they were unaware of the accident. Comrades of deceased’s Battalion also gave evidence to the effect that deceased was on the bridge leaning over his bicycle and looking towards the train, the engine and first carriage of which missed him, the second sending his bicycle into the air and injuring decided so badly he died about half-an-hour after arrival at the Victoria Hospital, Deal.

The witnesses agreed that there was not enough room on the bridge for a man let alone a bicycle as well, when the train passed on the near side. A representative of the railway company present pointed out that printed precautions warning against danger had been issued and hung in the guardroom. An officer of the Battalion present said that an accident had occurred to a soldier on the spot about eight days before.

Dr Hardman in the course his summing up, said one always liked in such cases, when one accident had occurred to consider whether it was possible to make any suggestion by way of rider that might have the effect of preventing further accidents. It was almost inconceivable that any other person would place himself in such a highly dangerous and insecure position, particularly when the other side of the line was open to one. A verdict of accidental death was returned. Regret at the occurrence of the accident and the death of a good soldier was expressed by the officer present, who also on behalf of the officers and men, extended sympathy to the widow.

Further newspaper reports add to this saying the officer giving evidence was Captain Frank Wells of the battalion. Captain Wells said Bell was on duty on Tuesday which necessitated his going over the railway bridge crossing the River Stour between Sandwich and Minster. After first-aid had been rendered he was placed on the next train to Deal and taken to Victoria Hospital where he died.

His death occurred in the home theatre of war, at Minster, Kent, on Tuesday, 18th July, 1916, age 36, and his body was brought back home to be interred in Bootle Cemetery, Grave “1. CE. 77”. The records of King’s Lodge say he was killed on military duty, and the Army records confirm this stating he was killed in a railway accident. John had served 242 days with the colours, and his wife was awarded a widow’s pension of ten shillings from 22nd January 1917. At this time she was back in Bootle at 81 Worcester Road, and John’s mother was given as residing at 414 Stanley Road, Bootle, but Flory is later recorded as having living at “North Ville”, 5 Breeze Hill, Bootle, in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records.

BELL, CRAWSHAW. (C.1.Row.16.)
Large upright grey granite, pointed top. In loving memory / of / John COATES BELL, / 7th King's Liverpool Regiment, / beloved husband of / Flory BELL, / killed whilst on military duty / at Minster, Kent, July 18th 1916, / aged 36 years. / Also in memory of / Emma, / beloved wife of Stansfield CRAWSHAW, / died 10th Aug. 1922, aged 63 years. / Also Stansfield CRAWSHAW, / beloved husband of the above Emma, / died 16th November 1939, aged 79 years. / Loving parents of Flory.

John is commemorated on the St Mary’s C of E School Bootle, the Bootle War Memorial, Stanley Road, the Liverpool Masonic Hall Memorial, Hope Street, the Scroll of Honour, Freemasons’ Hall, London, and on page 95 of the Freemasons’ Roll of Honour Book published by United Grand Lodge in 1921.

Portrait image was published in the Bootle Times 11th August, 1917.

Masonic :

John Coates Bell was initiated into King’s Lodge No 3101 on 27th October, 1914, at Liverpool Masonic Hall, described as a schoolmaster, aged 34 years, of 95 Bank Road, Bootle. He was proposed by William Henry Parkinson, and seconded by Thomas Dowd, being passed to the second degree on 24th November, 1914, and raised to the degree of Master Mason on 22 December, 1914. His last recorded attendance at a King’s Lodge meeting was in the October of 1915.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley
• Researcher : Geoff Cuthill