Captain Gerald Gordon Bell (11 June 1890 – unknown) was a Canadian

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

, officially credited with sixteen aerial victories while serving in the British

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

and

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

World War I

Bell was born in

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the c ...

, Ontario, Canada, and was working as a mechanical engineer on the outbreak of the war. He served in the

Governor General's Foot Guards The Governor General's Foot Guards (GGFG) is the senior reserve infantry regiment in the Canadian Army. Located in Ottawa at the Cartier Square Drill Hall, the regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry unit, and the members are part-time soldiers. ...

, before signing attestation papers for service overseas on 1 February 1915, and was assigned to the 38th Battalion,

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry divisi ...

, with the rank of lieutenant. According to his service record his father was by then dead, so he gave his mother as his next of kin. The 38th Battalion remained in Canada until 14 August 1915, when it was transferred to

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

to serve as part of the garrison. In May 1916 it sailed for England, and served in France from 13 August, seeing action in the

Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme (French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place be ...

. On 2 January 1917 Bell was seconded to the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

as an observer on probation, also being attached to the Eastern Ontario Regiment. After training in England, on 15 February he returned to France to serve in No. 22 Squadron RFC. He was also promoted to captain in the Eastern Ontario Regiment on 19 March. Flying in a F.E.2b two-seater Bell gained his first aerial victory on 8 April, with Lieutenant L. W. Beale as pilot, sharing with five other aircraft of his

flight Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...

in the destruction of an

Albatros D.II The Albatros D.II was a German fighter aircraft used during World War I. After a successful combat career in the early ''Jagdstaffeln'', it was gradually superseded by the Albatros D.III. Design and development Albatros designers Robert Thelen, ...

over Regny. On 3 May, with Second Lieutenant E. A. H. Ward as his pilot, he destroyed an

Albatros D.III The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service ('' Luftstreitkräfte'') during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service ( ''Luftfahrtruppen''). ...

, and on 15 May his period of probation came to an end and he was appointed a flying officer (observer) with seniority from 9 January. On 29 July, Bell and Ward, destroyed an enemy two-seater over Tortequesne. Bell then returned to England to train as a pilot, attending the No. 1 School of Military Aeronautics at

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from 13 August 1917, then being posted to No. 12 Training Squadron on 20 September, and to No. 83 Squadron RFC on 13 October. Within a week he was sent to Egypt, assigned to a Training Brigade, and completed a course in aerial gunnery at the Aerial Fighting School at RFC Heliopolis. On 19 December 1917 Bell was appointed a flying officer, with seniority from 9 January. He was sent to

Salonika Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...

to join No. 47 Squadron RFC operating on the

Macedonian front The Macedonian front, also known as the Salonica front (after Thessaloniki), was a military theatre of World War I formed as a result of an attempt by the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers to aid Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, in the autumn of 191 ...

. On 13 April 1918, flying a

S.E.5a The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 is a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory by a team consisting of Henry Folland, John Kenworthy and Major Frank Goodden. It was one of the ...

single-seat fighter, he destroyed an

. Bell was promoted to the temporary rank of captain on 13 June, to serve in a new unit, No. 150 Squadron RAF, formed from flights detached from No. 47 and No. 17 Squadrons. There Bell gained the remainder of his victories, accounting for twelve more enemy aircraft between 13 May and 18 September 1918. On 2 November 1918 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. His citation read: :Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Gerald Gordon Bell (Eastern Ontario Regiment). ::"This officer has had numerous engagements with hostile aircraft, invariably displaying marked gallantry and leadership of a high order, notably on the 1st of June, when he, accompanied by another pilot, attacked a formation of twelve enemy scouts; he shot down one in flames and drove down others out of control, only breaking off the engagement when all his ammunition had been expended." On 29 February 1919 Bell appeared before a Medical Board, having contracted

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. ...

in Salonika in September 1918; he suffered from intermittent fevers, weakness, and insomnia, and was assessed as being unfit for further service. On 6 May Bell ceased to be seconded to the RAF, relinquishing his commission. On 13 May he was demobilized from the Canadian Expeditionary Force. On 10 October 1919 he received unrestricted permission to wear the insignia of a ''Chevalier'' of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleo ...

, conferred on him by France.

List of aerial victories

Personal life

In 1920 he married Edith Grace Drayton, eldest daughter of Sir Henry and Lady Drayton, in Ottawa.

Footnotes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Gerald Gordon 1890 births Year of death missing Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force personnel of World War I Canadian World War I flying aces Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Governor General's Foot Guards Canadian Expeditionary Force soldiers Military personnel from Ottawa