Jerrold Walton BELL (1913-

Name:	BELL, Jerrold Walton, DFC, POW
Nationality:	Canadian
Regiment/Service:	Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank:	Squadron Leader
Service No.:	J/7020
Unit Text:	No.425 Squadron
Date of Birth:	26 November 1913 - Winnipeg, MB

BELL, F/L Jerrold Walton (J7020) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.425 Squadron - Award effective 12 April 1943 as per London Gazette dated 16 April 1943 and AFRO 985/43 dated 28 May 1943. Born in Winnipeg, 26 November 1913; home in Victoria; formerly in Canadian Scottish. Enlisted in Vancouver, 14 December 1940 and posted to No.2 Manning Depot. To No.32 SFTS (guard duty), 6 January 1941. To No.1 ITS, 9 February 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 15 March 1941 when posted to No.4 AOS; graduated 9 June 1941 when posted to No.1 BGS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 19 July 1941; posted next day to No.2 ANS; graduated and commissioned 19 August 1941. To Embarkation Depot, 20 August 1941; to RAF overseas, 15 September 1941. Promoted Flying Officer, 19 August 1942. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 20 August 1942. Later Navigation Officer with No.429 Squadron. Shot down and taken prisoner, 24 March 1944 with that unit (see notes below). Safe in United Kingdom, 14 May 1945. Repatriated 1 June 1945. To No.3 Repair Depot, 12 June 1945. To Release Centre, 8 August 1945. Retired 6 November 1945. Award sent by registered mail to Winnipeg, 11 March 1947. Recommendation dated 21 February 1943 noted he had flown 26 sorties (124 hours 5 minutes).

The operations completed by this officer include several attacks on such difficult targets as Essen, Hamburg, Bremen and Dusseldorf. On every occasion he has displayed a high degree of courage, skill and initiative. As navigation leader of the squadron he exhibited outstanding powers of leadership which have contributed in no small measure to its repeated navigational success.

The website "Lost Bombers" offers the following information on his being captured. Halifax LV914 (AL-V) of No.429 Squadron was lost 24/25 March 1944 in a raid on Berlin. It was one of three No.429 Squadron Halifaxes lost on this operation (the others were LK805 and LW688). Airborne at 1859 hours, 24 March 1944 from Leeming. Pilot was F/O Robert Fitzgerald Conroy, RCAF, who remained at his controls to keep his aircraft stable whilst his crew successfully abandoned and lost his own life. He is buried in the Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. He had only recently returned to operational flying following his successful evasion in the wake of the Dusseldorf raid of 11/12 June 1943 (HE593, when he had been the sole survivor). Other in crew (all taken prisoner) were F/L G.W.McIntyre, RCAF, S/L J.W.Bell, DFC, RCAF, WO2 O.D.McLean, RCAF, F/L A.P.Smith, RCAF, Sergeant L.C.P.Spencer, RCAF, Sergeant G.Wilton. S/L J.W.Bell RCAF was held in Camp L1 (POW number 4131).

SOURCE: Air Force Association of Canada website & Hugh Halliday (July 30, 2010).