GUARDS MACHINE GUN REGIMENT & HOUSEHOLD BN WW1 WOUNDED MEDALS & BADGE 2799 BELL

Description

Offered is a unique set of service medals to Trooper/Private Bell, who served with both the Household Battalion and Guards Machine Gune Regiment during the First World War.

British War and Victory Medals, impressed named 2799 TPR. B.L. BELL. HOUSEHOLD. BN. Swing style mounted for wear, with Spink & Son mounting pin; Household Battalion cap badge; Guards Machine Gun Corps cap badge, along with copies M.IC., medal roll, pension card & census records.

This is a medal group to soldier who served in 2 rare units being the Household Battalion and the Guards Machine Gun Regiment. Pte Bells service records are believed to still be in possession of the Ministry of Defence.

Bertie Leonard Bell was born on the 10/2/1897 in Honingham, Norfolk. He enlisted on the 2/3/1916 (Household cavalry) with the rank of Trooper and the service number 2799.

The Household Battalion was formed as an Infantry Battalion in September 1916 from the reserves of the Household Cavalry regiments (the 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards and the Royal Horse Guards) for service on the Western Front as part of the 4th Infantry Division, arriving just as the Battle of the Somme was ending in early December 1916. It fought in the Battle of Arras and later at Third Ypres.

Household Battalion at Passchendaele 4th – 12th October 1917.

At the start of the battle, it had a strength of 498 men, the Battalion suffered 348 casualties. The majority of these men have no known grave.

By this time, it had become apparent that there were insufficient reserves to support all the Household Cavalry regiments that had been converted to infantry (in particular, the Guards Machine Gun Regiments) and it was disbanded as part of a general reorganization in February 1918.

At some stage Trooper Bell was transferred to the Guards Machine Gun Regiment with the new service number 2211.

The 6th or Machine Gun Regiment of Foot Guards (or Guards Machine Gun Regiment), was formed on the 10/5/1918. It comprised four Machine Gun Battalions: the three Household Cavalry Regiments (the 1st and 2nd Life Guards and Royal Horse Guards) formed the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions, and the 4th Battalion Machine Gun Guards joined and was renamed the 4th (Foot Guards) Battalion.

Private Bell, was wounded at some stage whilst serving with the G.M.G.R and medically discharged 2/11/1918 due to his wounds (entitled to silver war badge).

He received a pension as of the 2/11/1918 and was still on the books as late as 3/2/1932. The 1939 census records his occupation as a hair dresser still living in Norfolk.