BELL, Major John, 46 Grainger Street West, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

I went to France late in September, 1916, and found my way up the line in October after, I think, a fortnight’s final polishing in “Gas and Bomb Work” at Harve. Billy Sanders and hall preceded me to the 1/8 London regiment (Post Office Rifles). The Battalion was in the Ypres Salient and had been very roughly handled the day before I arrived. We were in the support trenches just behind “the Bluff”, and our job was to supply working parties putting up wire in front of the first line of trenches, and also to take explosives up to Hill 60 at night. One night I managed to have a look at the Galleries under Hill 60. We held one side of the Hill and the Boche the other. After we came into Brigade Rest Camp, late in November, I think it was, I was detailed, together with half a dozen other officers, recently posted to the 1/8 London regiment, to join the 2nd Manchesters on the Somme. I accordingly packed my grip and joined the Manchesters. It was quite quiet at this time at Serre, where we were holding the line, and we were in and out of the trenches until sometime in January, 1917, when I met my bombing accident. One of our Mills Bombs exploded, and I caught the concussion and my ear drum went. It was not until two or three days afterwards that I had to report sick with it, and the M.O. sent me home.