838485 Pte. Amos William Bell was born on January 5th, 1892, in Simcoe County, Ontario.
Moving to the town of Annan, in Grey County, he was living in Owen Sound working as a machine hand when hostilities broke out. Amos attested to the 147th Battalion on January 8th, 1916, and was assigned to "C" Company.
During the early days of his military service Amos had a facsimile of the 147th Battalion Cap Badge tattooed to his left forearm.
Billeted locally over the winter the 147th Battalion mobilized in Owen Sound in the spring of 1916 and left for training at Camp Niagara. As the conditions in the Camp were wanting the unit moved to the new training facility of Camp Borden in late June.
In September 1916 the unit received their orders to proceed overseas, but due to an outbreak of diphtheria they were detained in Amherst, Nova Scotia, for over a month. The unit finally sailed for Great Britain on November 14th 1916 on the S.S. Olympic.
On January 1st, 1917, the 147th Battalion ceased to exist when it became the nucleus for the 8th Reserve Battalion. On April 22nd, 1917 Amos was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. in a draft of reinforcements after the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He served with the unit through Passchendaele, the German Spring offensive.
On June 25th, 1917, Amos broke his leg accidentally, but rejoined the unit on July 11th and served with them for the remainder of the final 100 days of the war. He survived the war without further notable incident and was struck off strength on March 19th, 1919.
Private Amos William Bell passed away on June 23rd, 1955, at the age of 65. He lies at rest in Greenwood Cemetery, located in Owen Sound, Ontario.
Biography details credit: George Auer