Raymond George Bessell
Memorial: South Gloucestershire war dead not on a local memorial
Regiment: Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Trooper 4130020
Parents: Arthur Elton and Edith Bessell
Home address: 21 Sherwood Road, Kingswood, Bristol
Pre-war occupation: Pawnbroker's assistant
Date of birth: 13/02/1917
Place of birth: Bristol
Date of death: 27/09/1943
Buried/Commemorated at: Buried at Salerno War Cemetery, Italy. Not commemorated on a local memorial
Age: 26
Further information:
Raymond was born in Bristol, the son of a labourer and the eldest child of six.
Raymond joined the Reconnaissance Corps which provided the mobile spearhead for the infantry divisions. The 44th Reconnaissance Regiment was formed in January 1941. Raymond died during the Italian Campaign, less than three weeks after landing near Salerno with the Commonwealth and American invasion forces on 8-9 September 1943. Raymond was killed in action when his regiment was involved in fierce fighting to establish a bridgehead at Salerno and the cemetery where he is buried contains many war dead from this fighting.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/