On the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France is the name of 13477 Lance Corporal William Henry Bell serving with the “A” Company 8th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment who died 14/07/1916.

The husband of Sarah Smith (formerly Bell), of 10, Malaburn Terrace, Southwick, Sunderland.

William Bell was born in Southwick the son of Thomas and Isabella in 1886.

In 1911 he and his wife Sarah were living at Southwick. They had been married two years but their first child had died. William was a Riverter Heater working in the shipyards. Their son Wilfred was born June 17th 1914.

William enlisted into the East Yorkshire Regiment and was killed in action 14th July 1916.

William’s pension card states that he and Sarah were unmarried however there is a marriage in September Q 1908.

Sarah married Frank Smith in 1919 and their son Thomas born 1921 died in WW2.

William Henry Bell is remembered at Southwick on S130.22 as W. Bell, at Sunderland in S140.048 Part 4 page 66 and S140.168 and is named in Peter Gibson’s Book.

Southwick’s War Memorial S130.01 does not include any names.