Beatrice Enid Bell

Beatrice Enid Bell (25 October 1888 – 9 May 1977) was a New Zealand woman who served in Britain and France in World War I and World War II. In World War I, she was the first member of the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS).^[1][2] Alongside her service across both world wars with the Admiralty Garage, Bell was an exhibiting artist and active leading figure within New Zealand Girl Guides.^[3][4] Whilst in London, she studied art with well-known English artists and exhibited some of her paintings.^[3]

Bell was the daughter of Sir Francis Bell, the first New Zealand-born Prime Minister of New Zealand, and Lady Caroline Bell.

Bell passed her exam in home nursing on 2 July 1915 at the Y.W.C.A Rooms in Wellington. ^[5]

Caroline, Enid and her sister Violet travelled to England in July 1915, and the two sisters began nursing at Cheltenham Hospital.^[6] At that time three of their brothers were serving in the forces.^[6] In 1916 both sisters were on washing up duty in the kitchen of the New Zealand War Contingent Association hospital in Walton-on-Thames, while Caroline Bell assisted in the hospital's sewing room.^[7][2][4]

Bell worked with the Admiralty Garage (21 January 1918 – 16 February 1919) as an ambulance driver in France and London and for the Red Cross in April 1917.^[3][2] Her role during World War I included working as a mechanic, ambulance driver and assistant instructor at the Red Cross Motor School.^[4] Her journey to the WRNS began with being chosen by Dame Katharine Furse, which led to her position at the Admiralty Garage.^[4]

An account of Bell's experiences in her first six weeks as an ambulance driver in France in 1917 is recorded in her diaries.^[8][9] She wrote about the people she met and places she travelled through, as well as transport challenges she faced whilst in Etaples and the car she had to fix continuously along her journeys.^[8] Of one occasion, Bell wrote: "I found the car, the same car that Noah drove to the ark in I should think. No switchboard, no headlights, no self-starter and no indication of how to start her, matches gave out again. I gradually worked up to find myself swearing most volubly. I didn't know I could, but I only gave up from exhaustion."^[10]

Biographer Susanne Alway describes Bell's diary entries as "an unvarnished account of the often forgotten support work carried about by civilians on the Western Front." Alway also argues that the descriptions of women in the diary depict them as breaking stereotypes of women at war at that time.^[8]

In November 1918 Bell transported senior officers to the mass surrender of German submarines at Harwich.^[4] The officers asked Bell to accompany them on board, so she became "the only woman present at sea to receive the surrender of the U-boats".^[11]

Margaret, Lady Ampthill, who was the Voluntary Aid Detachments Head of Department, once left a note on Bell's Red Cross Card stating about Bell: "Intelligent, capable woman. Very popular".^[4]

The London Gazette of 6 May 1919 carried a notice of a medal awarded to Bell: "The King has been graciously pleased to confer the Medal of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire upon the undermentioned members of the Women's Royal Naval Service for services in connection with the War: — Miss Enid Beatrix Bell, Chief Section Leader (Mechanic)".^[12]

Bell returned to Britain to serve in World War II as an ambulance driver.^[4] This included driving on night duty through the London Blitz.^[11] Using her artistic skills, Bell also worked for a small secret unit which made scale models of areas of military importance and designed and painted camouflage patterns.^[11]

Bell played a significant role in the Wellington Girl Guides.^[13] During her time in England, she attended the Imperial Camp for Guiders at Foxlease Hall, New Forest in July 1928.^[13]

The training took place over 10 days with 400 people from all over the world gathered, alongside the following notable figures: chief guide Lady Baden Powell, headquarter officials, Miss Tompkins of Petone, Dr. Margaret Knight of Auckland, Miss Corrigan of Hāwera, Lady Gwendoline Jellicoe (New Zealand's representative on the Imperial Council), and Princess Mary who spent a day in Foxlease during the event.^[13]

Media sources from the time recorded Bell telling a reporter about the event.^[13] She described it as training with specialist lecturers and the opportunity to visit one to two English guide companies.^[13]

She returned home to New Zealand via the Maunganui in early December 1928, and was announced Deputy-Provincial Commissioner of the Wellington Girl Guides.^[13]

During her ten year stay in London, Bell lived with her sister Iris Brenda (also known as Mrs Hector Rolleston), and joined the London Auxiliary Ambulance. However, Bell still pursued art at this time.^[14] She studied with R.G. Eves, an English portrait painter, and exhibited some of her work with the Women's International Art Club when the war first began.^[14]

As of September 1946, she had spent six months with other English artists like Frederick Whiting and Ian McNab at the Heatherly School.^[14] In the same year she returned to New Zealand via the Akaroa with the intention of visiting family, with a visit to her sister Mrs. Geoffrey Denniston in Gisborne planned, and spending more time on her art.^[14]

Bell settled in Heretaunga, Wellington after World War II and died in 1977.^[11]

• Beatrice Enid Bell War Diary, 5 Apr – 6 May 1917. 1917. Available through: Adam Matthew, Marlborough, The First World War, http://www.firstworldwar.amdigital.co.uk/Documents/Details/MSDL-0674 [Accessed November 26, 2025].