1002123 SERGEANT
D. BELL
WIRELESS OPERATOR
ROYAL AIR FORCE
11TH DECEMBER 1942 AGED 22
 
 
ALSO HIS FATHER
JAMES BARTON BELL
5TH JUNE 1944 AGED 58
EVER LOVINGLY REMEMBERED
AND OF HIS MOTHER
MAY FRANCES BELL
23RD OCTOBER 1976 AGED 92

Wellington IC, X9622 of 26 Operational Training Unit. Took off at 18.15 from Little Horwood for a night cross country. At approx. 22.15, the bomber was seen in the circuit but as it turned towards the runway, it stalled and dived into the ground. On impact a column of smoke and flame shot into the night sky. The court of inquiry suggested that a film of rain across the windscreen may have distorted the pilot's vision.

The crew were: Sgt. E C Jones, Sgt. S R Appi, Sgt. W B Barclay, Sgt. Lennox, Sgt. D Bell killed instantly. F/Sgt. D J Clark survived the crash but died from his injuries the following day.

Furness Airman Killed

Numerous people in Ulverston and throughout Furness will hear with regret of the death on active service on 11 December of Sergeant Donald Bell, R.A.F. (V.R.), youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Barton Bell, of Mid Rowe, Pennington, and formerly of West-avenue, Barrow.

Twenty-two years of age, he was a grandson of the late Rev. J. Barton Bell, who, for many years was the esteemed Minister of the Congregational Church in Soutergate, Ulverston.

Educated at Barrow Grammar School, he was keenly interested in sport, and in the school cricket XI. He was on the staff of the Midland Bank at Liverpool until he volunteered for the R.A.F. in the summer of 1940. Sergeant Donald Bell was a wireless operator and gunner. A likeable fellow, his breezy personality won for him a wide circle of friends.