# David Bell (VC) > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/David_Bell_(VC) > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/David_Bell_(VC).md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bell_(VC) > Source revision: 1353377633 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1845–1920) David Bell Born c. 1845 County Down, Ireland Died 7 March 1920 (aged 74–75) Gillingham, Kent, England Allegiance United Kingdom Branch British Army Rank Sergeant Unit 24th Regiment of Foot Conflicts Andaman Islands Expedition Awards Victoria Cross **David Bell VC**(c. 1845 – 7 March 1920) was born [County Down](/source/County_Down), [Ireland](/source/Ireland). Bell was a recipient of the [Victoria Cross](/source/Victoria_Cross), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [British](/source/United_Kingdom) and [Commonwealth](/source/Commonwealth_of_Nations) forces. He was approximately 22 years old, and a [private](/source/Private_(rank)) in the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (later [The South Wales Borderers](/source/The_South_Wales_Borderers)), [British Army](/source/British_Army) during the [Andaman Islands Expedition](/source/Andaman_Islands_Expedition) when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. The VC was not awarded for bravery in action against the enemy, but for bravery at sea in saving life in storm off Andaman Islands. On 7 May 1867 at the island of [Little Andaman](/source/Little_Andaman), eastern [India](/source/India), in the [Bay of Bengal](/source/Bay_of_Bengal), Private Bell was one of a party of five (the others being [James Cooper](/source/James_Cooper_(VC)), [Campbell Mellis Douglas](/source/Campbell_Mellis_Douglas), [William Griffiths](/source/William_Griffiths_(VC)) and [Thomas Murphy](/source/Thomas_Murphy_(VC))) of the 2/24th Regiment, who risked their lives in manning a boat and proceeding through dangerous surf to rescue some of their comrades who had been sent to the island to find out the fate of the commander and seven of the crew, who had landed from the ship *Assam Valley* and were feared murdered by the cannibalistic islanders. The citation was gazetted on 17 December 1867: THE Queen has been graciously pleased to signify Her intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross on the undermentioned Officer and Private Soldiers of Her Majesty's Army, whose claims to the same have been submitted for Her Majesty's approval, for their gallant conduct at the Little Andaman Island, as recorded against their names, viz. :— 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment: Assistant-Surgeon Campbell Millis Douglas, M.D, Private Thomas Murphy, Private James Cooper, Private David Bell, Private William Griffiths. For the very gallant and daring manner in which, on the 7th of May, 1867, they risked their lives in manning a boat and proceeding through a dangerous surf to the rescue of some of their comrades, who formed part of an expedition which had been sent to the Island of Little Andaman, by order of the Chief Commissioner of British Burmah, with the view of ascertaining the fate of the Commander and seven of the crew of the ship " Assam Valley," who had landed there, and were supposed to have been murdered by the natives. The officer who commanded the troops on the occasion reports : About an hour later in the day Dr. Douglas, 2nd Battalion, 24th ."Regiment, and the four Privates referred" to, gallantly manning the second gig, made their way through the surf almost to the shore, but finding their boat was half filled with water, they retired. A second attempt made by Dr. Douglas and party proved successful, five of us being safely passed through the surf to the boats outside. A third and last trip got the whole of the party left on shore safe to the boats. It is stated that Dr. Douglas accomplished these trips through the surf to the shore by no ordinary exertion. He stood in the bows of the boat, and worked her in an intrepid and seamanlike manner, cool to a degree, as if what he was then doing was an ordinary act of every-day life. The four Privates behaved in an equally cool and collected manner, rowing through the roughest surf when the slightest hesitation or want of pluck on the part of any one of them would have been attended by the gravest results. It is reported that seventeen officers and men were thus saved from what must otherwise have been a fearful risk, if not certainty of death.[1] He later achieved the rank of [sergeant](/source/Sergeant), and died [Gillingham](/source/Gillingham%2C_Medway), [Kent](/source/Kent), 7 March 1920. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the [Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh](/source/Regimental_Museum_of_The_Royal_Welsh) in [Brecon](/source/Brecon), [Powys](/source/Powys), [Wales](/source/Wales). ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["No. 23333"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/23333/page/6878). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 17 December 1867. p. 6878. **Listed in order of publication year** - *[The Register of the Victoria Cross](/source/The_Register_of_the_Victoria_Cross)* (1981, 1988 and 1997) - Clarke, Brian D. H. (1986). "A register of awards to Irish-born officers and men". *[The Irish Sword](/source/The_Irish_Sword)*. **XVI** (64): 185–287. - *[Ireland's VCs](/source/Ireland's_VCs)* (Dept of Economic Development 1995) - *[Monuments to Courage](/source/Monuments_to_Courage)* (David Harvey, 1999) - *[Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross](/source/Irish_Winners_of_the_Victoria_Cross)* (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000) ## External links - [David Bell](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11267554) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave) v t e Royal Welsh Predecessors 1st generation Royal Welch Fusiliers (1689–2006) South Wales Borderers (1689–1969) 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot (1719–1881) 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot (1756–1881) 2nd generation Welch Regiment (1881–1969) 3rd generation Royal Regiment of Wales (1969–2006) Victoria Cross William Wilson Allan David Bell Gonville Bromhead Edward Stevenson Browne Alexander Cobbe Nevill Coghill William Griffiths Frederick Hitch Alfred Henry Hook Dudley Graham Johnson William Jones Teignmouth Melvill Ivor Rees John Williams John Henry Williams Angus Buchanan James Cooper Campbell Mellis Douglas James Fynn Edric Gifford Robert Jones Thomas Murphy Albert White Ambrose Madden Hugh Rowlands William Charles Fuller Hubert William Lewis Edgar Myles Tasker Watkins Frederick Barter Edward William Derrington Bell John Collins James Llewellyn Davies Joseph John Davies Charles Doughty-Wylie Albert Hill George Monger Luke O'Connor Henry Weale Thomas Bernard Hackett Robert Shields William Henry Thomas Sylvester William Herbert Waring See also Battle of Rorke's Drift Prince of Wales's feathers Men of Harlech Firing Line Prince of Wales' Division Welsh Guards 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [David Bell (VC)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bell_(VC)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bell_(VC)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.