James Harry Bell D/JX 283628. HMS President III. Royal Navy Able Seaman (DEMS Gunner) HMS President III. Royal Navy Lost in MV Empire Sailor January 5, 1921 Stalybridge, Cheshire, England Single November 23, 1942 21 Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Sec. 3 Range 2. Grave 35 James Harry Bell was the only son of Harry Bell (1896-1958) and Mary Elizabeth (Kenworthy) Bell (1895- 1973) and the brother of Margaret Bell (1923-2015) and Mary Bell (1928-2011) of Stalybridge, Cheshire, England. His name is included on a family grave stone with those of his parents and sisters in the Dukinfield Cemetery and Crematorium, Dukinfield, Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. James Bell died of poisoning from the inhalation of phosgene gas after the torpedoing of the MV Empire Sailor on November 23, 1942. James Bell was aged 21, a Royal Navy DEMS gunner assigned to the MV Empire Sailor as part of the Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS) program. He was rescued by HMCS Minas after the sinking but died en route to hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is the only casualty of the sinking that was not buried at sea. James Bell was buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax, on November 27, 1942. The Loss of MV Empire Sailor On the night of November 21, 1942, the British merchant vessel MV Empire Sailor was torpedoed by German submarine U-518 while sailing with Convoy ON-145 in the North Atlantic, approximately 190 miles south west of Cape Race. Originally built in 1926 and seized as a war prize in 1940, the Empire Sailor was operated by the Ministry of War Transport and was en route from Liverpool to St John, New Brunswick, via Halifax, Nova Scotia. Unbeknownst to most of her crew, the ship carried a highly dangerous cargo: 460 tons of phosgene bombs, 100 tons of cyanide, and 60 tons of mustard gas. When the torpedo struck Hold No. 2, it ruptured the chemical munitions, releasing a lethal cloud of toxic gas. Survivors initially believed the escaping vapour was steam, but it soon became clear that the gas was far deadlier. Though the initial explosion killed only a few, the delayed effects of the phosgene gas proved catastrophic. Many crew members who had appeared unharmed began to cough, froth at the mouth, and collapse in agony hours later. Of the 57 crew and gunners aboard, 22 died from the attack or subsequent gas exposure. Survivors were rescued by HMCS Timmins and HMCS Minas, but several succumbed en route to Halifax and James Harry Bell after arrival on route to Camp Hill Hospital. Phosgene gas, a colourless and suffocating chemical agent, has a deceptively mild odour reminiscent of freshly cut hay. Victims often showed no immediate symptoms, only to suffer severe pulmonary edema hours later. The gas damages the lungs, leading to fluid build-up and eventual suffocation. Given the secrecy surrounding chemical weapons logistics during the war, only senior officers aboard the MV Empire Sailor were aware of the nature of the cargo. Tragically, this contributed to the high number of deaths from phosgene exposure after the torpedo strike. 17 crew members and three gunners died from phosgene gas poisoning. Extract from a report to the Admiralty by the commander of HMS Wanderer: No precautions had been taken onboard, apparently only the senior officers being aware of the nature of the cargo. If the crew had carried ordinary service respirators they would have been adequately protected. These respirators were not even carried on board. It is submitted that these facts should be made the subject for a full enquiry, as it seems that there are some who do not realize that our Merchant Navy have enough to put up with without having to die horrible deaths caused by their own cargo. The effect of this occurrence on the morale of Merchant Seamen in Halifax can readily be imagined.

Name: Service Number: Rank: Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Marital Status: Date of Death: Age at Death: Cemetery Reference:

Sources: Commonwealth War Graves Commission findagrave uboat.net Nova Scotia Archives - Death Certificate