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Pte. George Bell NX45413

After the outbreak of WW 2 young men were anxious to enlist in the Armed Services for the defence of their country.

And so it was that on the 24 June 1940 George Bell enlisted in the AIF. –Australian Imperial Forces.

 

George was born at Newcastle on Tyne in England on the 17 October 1918.

His family later migrated to Australia and settled at Maitland, NSW.

 

It was here that George grew up and later became a qualified Butcher, then at the age of twenty two he enlisted in the Armed Forces and carried out  his initial induction and training .

 

Then on the 17 September 1940 he was assigned to the 1st Infantry Battalion.

 

On the 23 April 1941 he was transferred to the A.A.M.C - Australian Army Medical Corps – and again on

 

the 2 August 1941 was moved to join the newly formed 2/5 Australian General Hospital Unit, with the rank of Acting Corporal.

 

On the 6 April 1942 He embarked on the Troop Ship Mauretania as the Unit sailed for duty in New Guinea.

 

He saw service with the 2/5 AGH in various theatres of war, and it appears that he had quite a chequered career, and then on the 25 April 1945, still with the Unit, embarked from Sydney on the Troop Ship John Hope bound for Morotai Island.

 

The Unit was sent here to treat the incoming emaciated troops who had been Prisoners of War in Japanese POW camps.

 

As the war had now come to an end – on the 26 October 1945, He with the Unit embarked on the Troop Ship Duntroon  bound for Sydney.

 

They were coming home.

 

NX45413 George Bell            Enlisted:          24 - 06 - 1940

                                               Discharged:     16 - 11 - 1945

 

George sadly passed away on the 24 June 1965 at the Concord Repatriation Hospital

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