Charles Courtenay Bell DSO, RN
| Born | 15 Jul 1883 |
| Ranks
Retired: 1 Jan 1923 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Charles Courtenay Bell, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Moreton Bay (F 11) | Capt. (Retd.) | Armed Merchant Cruiser | 5 Jan 1941 | mid 1941 |
| HMS Derbyshire (F 78) | Capt. (Retd.) | Armed Merchant Cruiser | 8 Nov 1941 | early 1942 |
| HMS Corfu (F 86) | Capt. (Retd.) | Armed Merchant Cruiser | 15 Jan 1943 | early 1944 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Moreton Bay (F 11)
30 Jun 1941
The British merchant Saint Anselm was torpedoed and sunk west of Madeira in position 31°00'N, 26°00'W by German U-boat U-66. HMS Moreton Bay (Capt. C.C. Bell (retired), RN) later picks up 18 survivors.
Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Corfu (F 86)
9 Apr 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1000B/9, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN), with her refit completed, departed Portsmouth for Greenock. On leaving The Solent, she was joined by the escort destroyers HNoMS Glaisdale (Lt.Cdr. T. Horve) and HNoMS Eskdale (Lt.Cdr. S. Storheill).
The escort destroyers were detached to Plymouth where they arrived on 10 April 1943.
HMS Corfu arrived at Greenock on 11 April 1943 to commence a post-refit work-up period. [no further details available.] (1)
31 May 1943
HMS Suffolk (Capt. R. Shelley, CBE, RN), HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN), HMS Antelope (Lt.Cdr. E.N. Sinclair, RN), HMS Boadicea (Lt.Cdr. F.C. Brodrick, RN), HMS Foxhound (Cdr. C.J. Wynne-Edwards, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMS Catterick (Lt.Cdr. A. Tyson, RN) arrived at Freetown with convoy WS 30.
3 Jun 1943
The heavy cruiser HMS Suffolk (Capt. R. Shelley, CBE, RN), armed merchant cruisers HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN), HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN), destroyers
HMS Wolverine (Lt. I.M. Clegg, RN), HMS Boadicea (Lt.Cdr. F.C. Brodrick, RN), HMS Rapid (Lt.Cdr. M.W. Tomkinson, DSC and Bar, RN) and the escort destroyer HMS Catterick (Lt.Cdr. A. Tyson, RN) departed Freetown escorting convoy WS 30.
[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy WS 30 ' for 19 May 1943.]
7 Jun 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
The armed merchant cruiser HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) and the destroyer HMS Boadicea (Lt.Cdr. F.C. Brodrick, RN) arrived at Takoradi after having been detached from convoy WS 30. (2)
9 Jun 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) departed Takoradi to patrol in the mid Atlantic. (3)
21 Jun 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) arrived at Freetown from patrol. (3)
6 Jul 1943
The light cruiser HMS Despatch (Capt. W.R.C. Leggatt, RN), armed merchant cruisers HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN), Quercy, destroyers HMS Foxhound (Cdr. C.J. Wynne-Edwards, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. E.J. Lee, RN), HMS Wolverine (Lt. I.M. Clegg, RN) and the escort destroyer HMS Blackmore (Lt. H.T. Harrel, RN) departed Freetown escorting convoy WS 31.
[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Combined convoy WS 31 / KMS 17 ' for 21 June 1943.]
10 Jul 1943
HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) and HMS Wolverine (Lt. I.M. Clegg, RN) both arrived at Takoradi from escort duty with convoy WS 31.
After fuelling both departed Takoradi again later the same day, HMS Corfu for patrol including a short stop at Ascension and HMS Wolverine to rejoin convoy WS 31.
14 Jul 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) made a short stop at Ascension before proceeding on an anti-blockade runner patrol in the mid-Atlantic. (3)
19 Jul 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) arrived at Freetown from patrol. (3)
30 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
The armed merchant cruiser HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) and later the HMS Beagle (Lt.Cdr. N.R. Murch, RN) departed Freetown to intercept the Spanish merchant vessel Monte Albertia (2955 GRT, built 1929) near the Cape Verde Islands.
Around 1330Z/1, in position 15°09'N, 22°05'W, HMS Corfu was joined by HMS Beagle.
On 4 September 1943, the Spanish ship was intercepted by one of the other vessels deployed in the search, the French light cruiser Montcalm and she was them sent to Gibraltar for inspection under an armed guard.
On 5 September 1943, HMS Beagle arrived at Bathurst from patrol.
On 7 September 1943, HMS Corfu arrived at Freetown from patrol. (4)
21 Sep 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1000Z/21, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) and the frigate HMS Fal (Lt.Cdr. M.G. Rose, RANVR) departed Freetown for an anti-blockade runner patrol in the South Atlantic. (5)
1 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1000Z/1, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) and the frigate HMS Fal (Lt.Cdr. M.G. Rose, RANVR) arrived at Freetown from patrol. (6)
6 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1000Z/16, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) and the frigate HMS Fal (Lt.Cdr. M.G. Rose, RANVR) departed Freetown for an anti-blockade runner patrol in the South Atlantic. (6)
16 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0800Z/16, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) and the frigate HMS Fal (Lt.Cdr. M.G. Rose, RANVR) arrived at Freetown from patrol. (6)
24 Oct 1943
Around 1600Z/24, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) and the frigate HMS Fal (Lt.Cdr. M.G. Rose, RANVR) departed Freetown for an anti-blockade runner patrol in the South Atlantic.
Around 1415Z/28, rendezvous was made with the armed merchant cruiser HMS Cilicia (Capt.(Retd.) J.M. Scott, RN) and HMS Fal then parted company to join this ship.
HMS Corfu then set course patrol her way to Capetown. (6)
7 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0900C/7, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) arrived at Capetown from patrol. (7)
9 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1500C/9, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) departed Capetown for Durban. (7)
12 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0900C/12, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) arrived at Durban from Capetown. At Durban she will be taken in hand for a short refit and a docking. (7)
14 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) is docked at Durban. (7)
19 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) is undocked. (7)
20 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) is closed off for fumigation at Durban. (7)
21 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Following fumigation, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) is boarded again at Durban. (7)
2 Dec 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1615C/2, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) departed Durban for Simonstown. (8)
5 Dec 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0730C/5, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) arrived at Simonstown from Durban. (8)
12 Dec 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0900C/12, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) departed Simonstown for Capetown where she arrived around 1615C/12. Before anchoring D/G trials were carried out. (8)
13 Dec 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0700C/13, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) departed Capetown for Freetown. (8)
24 Dec 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1030Z/24, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) arrived at Freetown from Capetown. (8)
29 Dec 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1445Z/29, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) departed Freetown for an anti-blockade runner patrol in the mid-Atlantic. The patrol was to end at Trinidad as HMS Corfu was eventually to proceed to Halifax for conversion to troop transport. (8)
13 Jan 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1315Q/13, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) departed Freetown for an anti-blockade runner patrol in the mid-Atlantic. The patrol was to end at Trinidad as HMS Corfu was eventually to proceed to Halifax for conversion to troop transport. (9)
18 Jan 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1100Q/18, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) departed Trinidad for Halifax. (9)
24 Jan 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1200Q/24, HMS Corfu (Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Bell, DSO, RN) arrived at Halifax from Trinidad. At Halifax de-ammunitioning commenced the following day after which she was taken in hand for de-arming. (9)
Sources
- ADM 199/633 + ADM 199/2551
- ADM 199/635
- ADM 199/2551
- ADM 53/117267 + ADM 199/365
- ADM 53/117267
- ADM 53/117268
- ADM 53/117269
- ADM 53/117270
- ADM 53/119166
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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