LEST WE FORGET 89 BELL, Roy Munroe WWI Roy was born on February 9, 1892, to William and Mary (Pritchard) Bell on the homestead NE16-14-30 south of Welwyn, Saskatchewan. He was the second eldest of five boys. Roy was farming when he enlisted in the Army on March 28, 1917, in Winnipeg. He sailed for England aboard the Metagama on May 3, 1917. Because he had timber harvesting experience, he was diverted from the front lines and put to work as a Private with the Independent Forestry Unit. These soldiers cleared down trees for use on the Western Front. On September 30, 1918, Private Bell was granted permission to get married with leave from December 21 to December 29, 1918. Sadly, Roy was hospitalized on November 12, 1918, with pneumonia and on February 26, 1919, he died at No. 12 Canadian General Hospital during the Influenza pandemic. He is buried at St. Mary Churchyard, Bramshott, Hampshire, England. The Memorial Cross was sent to his mother in Welwyn. He is remembered on both the Welwyn and Rocanville Legion cenotaphs. BELL, Ruel WWI &WWII Ruel was born on December 2, 1898, to William and Mary (Pritchard) Bell of Welwyn, Saskatchewan. He enlisted in Moosomin on December 29, 1915, at the age of seventeen, with the 217th Overseas Battalion. He arrived in England aboard the Olympic on June 9, 1917. He was assigned to the 19th Reserve and was awarded a Good Conduct Badge on January 21, 1918. He was sent to France with the 1st CMR on February 28, 1918. Ruel returned to Canada on March 12, 1919, and he was discharged on March 25, 1919. In 1923, he married Edith (May) Jessup. They lived in Welby, St. Marthe and Elim districts. Ruel and May had two children. Ruel enlisted in World War II on January 12, 1940, with the 14th Field Coy, Royal Canadian Engineers (Army) and was promoted to Corporal. He served in Canada, England, Sicily and Italy. His wife and family moved into Rocanville while he was overseas. Fighting for the Senio Line, Corporal Ruel Bell was killed in action in Italy on December 10, 1944, at the age of 46. He is buried in Ravenna Cemetery in Italy. Many soldiers buried there were Canadians. He is remembered on the Welwyn and Rocanville Legion cenotaphs.
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