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3/9946 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
(9th Battalion on the original Roll of Honour)
Albert Bell was born in Long Melford around 1890, the only surviving child of Samuel James and Alice Bell. His father was an innkeeper and at one time the family lived at the White Hart Inn in Long Melford before moving to the Green Dragon Hotel in Sudbury.
Albert was employed as an upholsterer before enlisting in Sudbury to serve with the Suffolk Regiment and first served in France on 30 August 1915. It is not known when he transferred to the 11th Battalion which first landed in France in 1916. The 9th Battalion was disbanded in February 1918 so he may have transferred at this time.
In 1918 the Germans launched Operation Michael, the Spring Offensive and the battalion saw action at the Battle of the Lys (9 - 29 April) when they took up positions near Fort Rompu. They formed a defensive flank and beat off attack after attack and two enemy breakthroughs. Sudbury man Percy Lock served alongside Albert in the battalion and lost his life on 19 April 1918. Another Sudbury man Percy Partridge, who earlier that year had been awarded the Military Medal was killed serving with the 12th Battalion on 12 April 1918.
In May 1918 the battalion became part of 183rd Brigade, 61st (2nd South Midland) Division and saw action when the Allies began the Advance in Flanders
(18 August – 6 September) in the Lys valley recapturing ground lost in April. It is possible that Albert was wounded at this time.
Albert died of wounds on 8 November 1918 and lies buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A Cross of Remembrance was laid by his grave in April 2012
There were eleven hospitals built in Rouen to deal with the huge number of casualties. There were seven general hospitals, which were in municipal buildings and 4four stationary hospitals, which were smaller and in tents and huts outside the town. Hospital ships evacuated wounded to England on a daily basis while nearby camps catered for 2,000 convalescing soldiers.
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