BEM, GVI (Robert E. Bell)

British Empire Medal, GVI, civil (Robert E. Bell).

Robert H. Bell is noted on the Royal Navy medal rolls as receiving a BEM. The man directly above him on the roll was “Robert E. Bell”, who is not identified as receiving a BEM, so it’s very likely that the engraver mistakenly engraved “Robert E. Bell”. Robert H. Bell had Royal Navy service during World War I, joining HMS Neptune, a dreadnaught battleship, in July 1915 and served in her throughout the war. In 1920, Bell joined the Royal Fleet Reserve. During World War II, he was in the Merchant Navy as a stoker.