Annie Bell

Annie Bell enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service on 4 November 1914, aged 26 years.

• Embarked from Aust. to England – 28 November 1914
• Promoted to Nursing Sister – 1 December 1915
• No.1 A.S.H., Ismailia – 22 January 1916
• Citadel Hospital, Cairo – 3 June 1916
• Embarked for England Kanowna – 13 August 1916
• 1 A.G.H. (?), Southall – 26 August 1916
• Queen Mary’s Hospital, Whalley – 31 August 1916
• 1 A.G.H., Rouen – 3 March 1917
• Nurses Home, Abbeville [transit] – 10 March 1917
• 3 A.C.C.S., Edgehill (Dernancourt) – 12 March 1917
• Admitted 16 G.H. (German Measles), Le Treport – 2 April 1917
• 3 A.C.C.S., Grévillers – 14 April 1917
• 6 S.H. – 9 July 1917
• 3 A.C.C.S. to Brandhoek? – 27 July 1917
• 32 CCS, Brandhoek – 6 August 1917
• 3 A.C.C.S., Brandhoek – 14 August 1917
• 10 C.C.S. [10SH?] temp. duty – 24 August 1917
• 1 A.G.H., Rouen – 1 October 1917
• Mention in Despatch of 7 April 1918
• 3 A.A.H., Dartford – 14 July 1918
• Returned to Australia – 24 August 1918

She had 14 siblings. Jean was a nurse in Australia, two brothers served with the A.I.F. – Captain George Bell, Australian Army Medical Corps, and Corporal Alexander (Click) Armstrong Thompson Bell, 21st Battalion. Click was killed in action at Mouquet Farm, Pozieres (Red Cross Wounded and Missing report). He is remembered on the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux.

She met her husband, Major Harold Vernon Foxton, a doctor in the Australian Army Medical Corps, in France.

Diary

Stephanie Kihlstrom has transcribed her grandmother’s diary. Excerpts that relate to Sister Bell’s work in forward hospitals can be found on the following pages:

• Edgehill (Dernancourt)
• Grévillers
• Brandhoek

Sources

• Annie Bell – World War 1 Diary – Stephanie Kihlstrom – includes photos, cuttings and an index of names/places mentioned
• Service Record – National Archives of Australia
• Annie BELL – The AIF Project

Published Thursday July 21, 2011 · Last modified Tuesday August 9, 2011
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