On Chatham Naval Memorial is the name of C/KX 77088 Chief Stoker Robert Stoker Bell, M.i.D., serving on H.M.S. Achates with the Royal Navy who died 31/12/1942.

The son of Robert Storey Bell and Jane Bell and the husband of Helen Gregg Bell, of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Robert was born September 4th 1906 at Longbenton.

The Newcastle Evening Chronicle 17/01/1940 reports with photographs:-
Family of Five Serving
Another family serving the country in a big way is that Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Bell, of 2, Agnes Maria Street, Coxlodge. They have four sons and a son-in-law with the Forces. The eldest, John, is with the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Robert is in the Navy, Joseph, the third son and Sergeant W. Bell, the youngest, arc both in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. Mr. Joseph Harries, the son-in-law, is a petty officer in the Royal Navy.

The Newcastle Evening Chronicle 12/01/1943 reports with a photograph:-
Stoker Petty Officer Robert Bell (36). husband Mrs. H. Bell, 22, Jubilee Crescent, Gosforth, and son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Bell, 2, Agnes Marla Street, Coxlodge, is presumed killed on H.M.S. Achates, sunk In the recent Arctic battle.

Acknowledgments: Barney Rice

Robert Stoker Bell is remembered at Gosforth on G9.17 and  in our List of Ships’ Crews.