Name
Reginald D Sell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
29/10/1919
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/18452
Royal Sussex Regiment
17th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KANTARA WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY
A. 109.
Egypt
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
His home was at 13, Chapman's Yard, Queen Street, Hitchin and he was the son of Jeffrey and Emmeline Sell.
Wartime Service
He joined up in April 1917 and was sent to Egypt and engaged in transporting ammunition and supplies through Palestine, Gaza and Jaffa serving in the Royal Army Service Corps.
At the time of his death he was with the 17th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment with the Regimental Number G/18452. He probably died of disease.
He was buried in Row A, Grave 109 in the Kantara War Memorial Cemetery in Egypt. Kantara, on the Egyptian side of the canal, about 20 miles from Port Said which was the site of the 24th Stationary Hospital. Convoys of wounded and sick men came in most days. Many had malignant malaria with temperatures of 104-105°F. Also numerous delirious pneumonia cases. The same site was used during World War II by No. 1 British General Hospital. The cemetery was used for fatalities from the hospital.
It should be noted that although Armistice Day was the 11th November 1918, the ‘Termination of the Present War (Definition) Act’ specified that the Great War would officially cease when the Order in Council declared that the war had ended. This was made declaring the 31st August 1921 to be that date. It was therefore decided that Commonwealth personnel who died within the period 4th August 1914 and 31st August 1921 would be classified as casualties of the 1914-1918 War.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
