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Frederick Albert Bell
Born on the 6th of May 1910, in London, Bell and his family would later migrate to Australia. As an adult in the 1930’s, he worked as a general laborer and married Doreen Myrtle, the two settling in Corrimal on Wilford Street.
Frederick Bell in his CMF uniform, c.1938-1940
On the 7th of December 1938, Bell enlisted into the Citizens Military Forces (CMF), where he served as an infantryman in B Company, 34th Battalion. When war broke out, he remained in the CMF rather than changing to the regular army. This is likely due to the fact that being around 30 years old, he was an older man with responsibilities at home. He later earned his certification as a grade 3 driver and completed training at the 50th Australian Field Ordinance Workshop. August the following year when he applied for transfer to the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The exact reason for the change is unknown, but it is likely due to the impending possibility of an attack by Japan, as this is around the time that battles were waging in New Guinea.
After applying for a transfer to the AIF, he remained with the 34th until mid-November. From then, he was moved to the 1st Australian Divisional Workshop (Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) before finally being moved to 129th Australian Brigade Workshop 7 months later. It was with this new unit that he would sail for New Guinea, arriving in Port Moresby on the 20th of July 1943. The following May, he was admitted to hospital with Dengue Fever, and only a few weeks after was evacuated again with Bronchitis. Between the two illnesses, he had spent a short time attached to the Lae Fortress Workshop in Northern New Guinea, a posting he returned to following his time in hospital and remained at until August. After returning to his unit, he set sail for Brisbane.
At the very end of December 1944, he once again embarked from Cairnes. This time he was bound to take part in the Bougainville Campaign, Australia’s last major offensive of the war. He spent some time again sick but otherwise remained with his workshop for the campaign. Following the battle, he returned to Australia where upon he was discharged on the 29th of October 1945.
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