Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Bell V.C.Print Page 
On 16 May 1901 at Brakpan, Transvaal, while his unit was retreating under heavy fire, he went back for a dismounted man and took him up on his horse. The animal fell under the extra weight and Bell, after insisting that his companion take the horse, covered his retreat; for this action he received the Victoria Cross—the first awarded to a Western Australian.
The plaque is located in the north west corner of the park underneath a stand of Bunya Pines between the main gate entry and traffic bridge
The service and sacrifice of Western Australia's Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients will be remembered in perpetuity with each recipient being commemorated at highway rest stops south of Perth. Veterans Minister Joe Francis said the project, similar to Remembrance Driveway on the Federal and Hume highways between Sydney and Canberra, would see plaques honouring WA's 17 Victoria Cross and two George Cross recipients placed at rest areas on highways leading to Albany.
"The rest stops will be on Albany Highway between Perth and Albany and along South Western Highway between Pinjarra and Kirup," Mr Francis said. The plaques will be installed at rest stops in chronological order, starting with the South Western Highway (Frederick Bell VC). Each will contain a short biography of the recipient and part of their citation as gazetted. "While the Victoria Cross is awarded for extreme gallantry in the face of the enemy, the George Cross - open to service personnel and civilians - was instituted to recognise extreme bravery that did not involve contact with the enemy. The series of plaques will be called Commemoration Way, and will be rolled out between ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, 2016."
Media Statement, 20th April 2016.
Location
| Address: | George Street, Cantwell Park, Pinjarra , 6208 |
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| State: | WA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -32.627504 Long: 115.876718 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Military |
| Link: | http://adb.anu.edu.au/ |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 2016 |
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Commemoration Way
In honour of Victoria CrossrRecipient
Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Bell VC
Frederick Bell was born in Perth on 3 April 1875. When the Second Boer War began Bell enlisted the same month in the 1st Western Australian Contingent (Mounted Infantry). Seriously wounded, Bell recuperated in Britain before returning to South Africa as a Lieutenant. Bell died on 28 April 1954 and was buried at Bristol, England.
6th Western Australian Contingent (Mounted Infantry),
16 May 1901 at Brakpan, South Africa.
"At Brakpan on the 16th May 1901, when retiring through a heavy fire after holding the right flank, Lieutenant Bell noticed a man dismounted and returned and took him up behind him. The horse not being equal to the weight fell with them, Lieutenant Bell then remained behind and covered the man`s retirement till he was out of danger."
