Pair: Lieutenant E. V. A. Bell, Royal Flying Corps and Hampshire Regiment, a F.E.2b pilot of 25 Squadron who was shot down and taken Prisoner of War during “Bloody April”, 8 April 1917 - having survived a ‘dog fight’ with Baron Von Richthofen’s Jasta 11 a few days earlier

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. E. V. A. Bell. R.A.F.) generally good very fine (2) £300-£400

Evelyn Victor Allen Bell was the son of the Reverend Canon J. A. Bell, of The Vicarage, Murray Road, Wimbledon, and initially served as a Second Lieutenant in the Hampshire Regiment during the Great War. He was attached to the Royal Flying Corps in July 1916, and carried out his initial pilot training - gaining his ‘Wings’ on 25 October 1916. Bell was appointed a Flying Officer in December 1916, and posted as a pilot to 28 Squadron. He was posted for operational flying with 25 Squadron (F.E.2b’s) on the Western Front in January 1917. Bell carried out multiple bombing and photographic reconnaissance operations, and was frequently engaged with enemy aircraft:

‘6/3/17. Photographic escort.... 2/Lt. Bell had just dropped his bombs on Mericourt, when he was signalled to by his group leader to turn round. He did so and came face to face with a Halberstadt that was diving on his tail. His observer [Sergeant Nunn] fired half a drum into it and it went down in a steep dive. 2/Lt. Bell dived after it and his observer fired the rest of the drum into it. Capt. Richardson and Sergt. Malcolm also fired at it. The hostile machine went down under control and landed, apparently safely, east of Avion.’ (Combat Report refers).

Eleven days later, Bell was carrying out a photographic reconnaissance when, as a part of a force of nine F.E.2b’s, they were engaged by an enemy formation of 15-20 fighters:

‘2/Lt. Bell with 2/Lt. Green (Camera Machine) was also in the fight and drove down a hostile machine, but were shot through the engine and had to return, landing at Estree Cauchie. No particulars are to hand.’ (Ibid)

As ‘Bloody April”’ began, Bell was part of a patrol which was engaged and broken up by Baron Von Richthofen’s Jasta 11 on 3 April 1917. The Baron claimed a victory for himself from the engagement, and five days later Bell’s luck ran out. He was part of a six-aircraft raid on Pont-a-Vendin led by Captain C. H. C. Woolven on 8 April. Bell and his observer, Lieutenant A. H. K. McCallum, were shot down by flak, and listed as ‘missing in action’. They were eventually listed as being taken Prisoners of War, with the Squadron ORB giving: ‘2/Lt. E. V. A. Bell [Pilot]. Lt. A. H. K. McCallum [Observer]. F.E.2b A. 813 Bombing Raid - Pont-a-Vendin. Left aerodrome 5.25 pm. Machine was returning from bombing raid and was thought to be near Mont St. Eloy about 7 pm. Pilots and observers state that all six machines recrossed the lines. Information received from the father of 2/Lt. E. V. A. Bell states that his son is a prisoner of war. Letter from Rev. J. Allen Bell dated 21/5/17 states that Mrs. McCallum has received cheques dated from Karlsruhe from her son, Lt. A. H. K. McCallum.’

Bell was eventually interned at Freiburg, where he was a member of the P.O.W. cricket team, a picture of which exists with him standing along from fellow member Captain W. Leefe Robinson, V.C. (shot down three days before Bell). McCallum’s capture statement gives the following:

‘I became a British Prisoner of War in Germany on April 7th, 1917 [Sic]. I was taking photographs and dropping bombs in the districts of La Bassee and Douai... arriving over La Bassee our formation broke up and we set to our different duties, and had to pass through a thick barrage of shrapnel from anti-aircraft guns. We were hit directly and several flying wires were cut, we continued on and we were hit again in the petrol tank and immediately after in the engine, so were forced to land over the German lines.

Whilst descending, I destroyed the camera and Machine guns. We landed amongst infantry so were not able to burn machine.’

Bell was repatriated in December 1918, and relinquished his commission in October 1919. After the War he resided in The Close, Norwich.

Sold with extensive copied research, including a photographic image of recipient in uniform, multiple Combat Reports, ORB entries etc.