John Bell (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
General
Sir John Bell GCB
(1 January 1782 – 20 November 1876) was a British soldier and magistrate. At the time of his death, he was the senior general of the British Army
.
, he was the son of David Bell. After attending Dundee Academy
, he worked first as a merchant and in 1805 entered the British Army as an ensign of the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot
.
a year later and subsequently took part in the Peninsular War
until 1814. During this time, he was decorated with the Army Silver Medal with six clasps and received the Army Gold Cross. Bell was wounded in the Battle of Vimeiro
in 1808 and was in the war's last years assistant quartermaster-general. In December 1814, he was transferred with his regiment to the United States
and was involved in the Anglo-American War
until begin of the following year. After his return to England, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath
.
Bell was sent to the Cape of Good Hope
as deputy quartermaster-general in 1821 and served as chief secretary to the colony's government from 1828. He was appointed an aide-de-camp to King William IV of the United Kingdom in 1831 and was promoted to major-general in 1841. He joined the board of general officers in 1847 and was nominated Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
in the following year, holding that office until 1854.
Bell took command of the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot
in 1850 and became a lieutenant-general in 1851. A year later, he was advanced to a Knight Commander of the Bath. In 1853, he received colonelship of the 4th (The King's Own) Regiment of Foot, a command he held until his death in 1876. Bell was further honoured with the Order's Grand Cross in May 1860 and was promoted to general in June.
. His wife was born in St Petersburg and a godchild of Empress Catherine I of Russia. She died at Upper Hyde Park Street in London
in 1855. Bell survived her until 1876, when he died, aged 92, at Cadogan Place
. He was interred on Kensal Green Cemetery
.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir John Bell GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1 January 1782 – 20 November 1876) was a British soldier and magistrate. At the time of his death, he was the senior general of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
Background
Born at Bonytoun in the county of FifeFife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, he was the son of David Bell. After attending Dundee Academy
High School of Dundee
The High School of Dundee is an independent, co-educational, day school in the city of Dundee, Scotland which provides both primary and secondary education to just over one thousand pupils...
, he worked first as a merchant and in 1805 entered the British Army as an ensign of the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot
52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot
The 52nd Regiment of Foot was a light infantry regiment of the British Army throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries. The regiment first saw active service during the American War of Independence, and were posted to India during the Anglo-Mysore Wars...
.
Career
He went to SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
a year later and subsequently took part in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
until 1814. During this time, he was decorated with the Army Silver Medal with six clasps and received the Army Gold Cross. Bell was wounded in the Battle of Vimeiro
Battle of Vimeiro
In the Battle of Vimeiro the British under General Arthur Wellesley defeated the French under Major-General Jean-Andoche Junot near the village of Vimeiro , near Lisbon, Portugal during the Peninsular War...
in 1808 and was in the war's last years assistant quartermaster-general. In December 1814, he was transferred with his regiment to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was involved in the Anglo-American War
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
until begin of the following year. After his return to England, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
.
Bell was sent to the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
as deputy quartermaster-general in 1821 and served as chief secretary to the colony's government from 1828. He was appointed an aide-de-camp to King William IV of the United Kingdom in 1831 and was promoted to major-general in 1841. He joined the board of general officers in 1847 and was nominated Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
in the following year, holding that office until 1854.
Bell took command of the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot
95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot
The 95th Regiment of Foot was formed when the 95th Rifles were redesignated as The Rifle Brigade . In 1881, during the Childers Reforms, it was united with the 45th Regiment of Foot to form the Sherwood Foresters .-History:...
in 1850 and became a lieutenant-general in 1851. A year later, he was advanced to a Knight Commander of the Bath. In 1853, he received colonelship of the 4th (The King's Own) Regiment of Foot, a command he held until his death in 1876. Bell was further honoured with the Order's Grand Cross in May 1860 and was promoted to general in June.
Family
In 1821, he married Catherine, eldest daughter of James Harris, 1st Earl of MalmesburyJames Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury
James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury GCB was an English diplomatist.-Early life :...
. His wife was born in St Petersburg and a godchild of Empress Catherine I of Russia. She died at Upper Hyde Park Street in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1855. Bell survived her until 1876, when he died, aged 92, at Cadogan Place
Cadogan Place
Cadogan Place is a street in Belgravia, London. It is named after Earl Cadogan and runs parallel to the lower half of Sloane Street.-Literary references:Charles Dickens writes of it in Nicholas Nickleby:...
. He was interred on Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
.