Born Perth CoE. Enlisted 9 September 1914, age 33, packer. Nok wife Adelaide Winifred Bell of 11 Salisbury St, Subiaco, married at St Andrews Church Subiaco in October 1914. She later lived at Beach St, Cottesloe possible with Edgar’s parents, Henry Thomas Bell and Alice Agnes Bell of Gamallie, Beach St, Cottesloe. Edgar served 210 days in South Africa during the Boer War with the 7th Australian Commonwealth (WA) contingent. Edgar embarked at Melbourne with the combined South Australian and Western Australian 16th Battalion per A40 Ceramic for Egypt and then to Gallipoli where the 16th landed on the evening of 25th April. They came under heavy fire and withdrew. On 2nd May his group suffered heavy losses attempting to take the hill referred to as Bloody Angle. Edgar’s body was never found and eventually he was marked as killed in action on 2 May 1915. On 16 July 1921, his widow, Adelaide Winifred Bell, was residing at Scotts Creek near Mt Lofty as Mrs A.W. Bristow, having remarried. Edgar was the brother of 2nd Lieut Bert Adam Bell and Lieut Colonel Frederick Bell of the Royal Irish Dragoon Guards. Service medals 1914-15 Star, BWM, and VM.
