Bill Bellamy (British Army officer)

Captain Bill Bellamy MC
File:Bill Bellamy.jpg Captain Bill Bellamy receiving his MC from Field Marshall Montgomery
Nickname(s)	Bill
Born	1 December 1923 Northampton
Died	18 March 2009 Barnstaple
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1941-1955
Rank	Captain
Unit	8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars
Awards	Military Cross

Captain Bill Bellamy MC (1 December 1923 - 18 March 2009) was an officer in the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars between 1943 - 1955. He served briefly with his regiment in the North African Campaign and extensively in Northern Europe as part of the D Day landings. His book, Troop Leader: A Tank Commander's Story is a rare example of the experiences of front line tank warfare in World War 2 written not from an analytical point of view but as a diary of the events which happened. He was one of the first British soldiers to be able to wander unhindered in the ruins of Berlin's government area in the immediate post cease fire period of 1945. On 5 March 1945 he received the Military Cross, presented personally by Field Marshal Montgomery, for his bravery during the battle for the hamlet of Doornhoek, near St. Joost in Holland, in October 1944. Under heavy German machine-gun, mortar and shell fire, and in a minefield, He got his burning tank and crew to safety before overrunning enemy positions to allow infantrymen to push through.

Early life

Lionel Gale "Bill" Bellamy was born on 1 December 1923 in Northampton. He attended Hawthorn Community Primary School in Kettering, then Blackfriars (Dominican) boarding school in nearby Laxton. His father, Ronald, was a salesman who served in France during the First World War and later became a POW in the North African campaign in the Second World War. His mother, Olive, was a dress designer. He went to Blackfriars at the age of 11 and during his time there converted to Catholicism with the reluctant permission of his parents. He always believed that his faith had given him strength to endure combat.

Military career

He received his call-up aged 18 which disrupted his plans to go to university. He signed up in December 1941 to the Royal Armoured Corps after being assured by the recruiting sergeant that he could serve with his father in the 1st Armoured Division, and was sent to training at the 58th Training Regiment (RAC) at Bovington Camp in Dorset.

Nickname

It was at this time he received his nickname. The other men in his billet were introducing themselves and he became embarrassed, thinking that he might suffer some ragging if it was known he was called Lionel so he gave his name as Bill and for the rest of his life he was (quite happily) known as Bill Bellamy.

Commissioning

During training and after returning from a period of sick leave for diesel poisoning he was promoted to Lance Corporal and selected as a potential officer. After passing the commissions board he was sent to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an officer cadet in August 1942. In the company of a friend he applied successfully to Brigadier John Van der Byl DSO for selection as a Cornet to the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars. He eventually made his way to Kasra-nil Barracks, Cairo where he joined the regiment under the command of Colonel Cuthie Goulburn. The hussars then sailed to England to begin training for D Day and were embarked for France with the 7th Armoured Division.

D Day to Berlin

A Cromwell Tank

Initially he was placed in charge or the echelon which meant that he had to shepherd his group of supply vehicles to various locations to replenish used stock by the regiment. During the Battle of Villers-Bocage his Jeep ran into retreating German infantry and hit by sub-machine gun fire. He was wounded in the head but after receiving 7 stitches stayed at his post. "A" Squadron required re-organisation after Villers-bocage and Bellamy was drafted in as Troop Leader of 3rd Troop where he took over as commander of his own ##Cromwell Tank##, one of three in the troop#

On his first day in command of 3rd Troop he chanced upon two British ##armoured car##s from the 61st Recce ##Regiment### As they approached him they were hit by fire from a well concealed enemy ##gun### Dismounting his own vehicle Bill Bellamy approached the two destroyed armoured cars and rescued several members of the crews whom he found alive in the wrecked and gore streaked interiors#

This was the first of many experiences# As a tank commander in the van of the battle he was required to face an increasingly desperate, retreating German army# Tank ##combat## at it's fiercest and most savage in what can only be described as "heavy combat" situations# Through ##France##, ##Belgium##, ##Holland## and into the German heartland following the line of advance of the ##8th Army## which the tank and ##cavalry## regiments were spearheading#

MC

On 22 October 1944 Bill Bellamy was awarded an immediate ##Military Cross## for his actions at Doornhoek in Southern ##Holland### Whilst advancing as part of a screen for the infantry his troop came under heavy fire from emplaced German troops# In an engagement lasting over three hours he he stood up in his ##turret##, attracting heavy ##small arms##, ##mortar## and ##artillery## fire as he manoeuvered to avoid enemy ##bazooka##s while directing his tanks: "On three separate occasions he went forward beyond his position and overran infantry posts#" The award was presented to him in person by Field Marshall Montgomery on 5th March 1945#

Into Germany

1. 1. File:M24 Chaffee in Detroit#jpg|thumb|left|Chaffee tank##Bellamy was given a leave to return to England upon the untimely death of his mother who was killed by a ##V 2## in London# Whilst there he was hospitalised for a bout of recurring jaundice which had dogged him since his time in Egypt# His own opinion was that this was timely as he had been advised by fellow officers that he had become "bomb happy" and was intentionally placing himself in the most dangerous of situations without concern for his safety or that of his tank crew#

On his return to the regiment, by now close to ##Harburg## #following the relief of ##Fallingbostel## POW Camp# he was advised that he was to take over as second in command of the ##Recce## Troop under the command of Tim Pierson# He was allocated a ##M24 Chaffee|Chaffee## tank which formed part of the main equipment of the Recce Troop and immediately began operations in this new role#

Following operatons in observation of the ##Elbe## and the relief of a POW camp containing around 100 ##Belgians## the regiment entered ##Hamburg## follwing the surrender of that city# The condition of the city and its people made him feel very uncomfortable and his feelings towards the German populace mellowed from that of hate to that of pity# After ##VE Day## he was able to work alongside the Catholic relief agency CCRA based at ##Greven## near ##Muenster##, helping displaced persons#

Berlin

On 4th July 1945 the regiment loaded its tanks onto transporters and set off for ##Berlin## to take part in the victory parade# The regiment was based at the Olympic Stadium in the newly designated British Sector# At the first opportunity and before orders were issued prohibiting such activities he and some fellow officers were able to borrow a Jeep and explore the administrative heart of the capital# They visited the burnt out shell of the Reichstag first and then went on to the Reichs Chancellory which was looted and severely damaged in the fighting but largely intact# In Adolf Hitler's study only his desk remained# They tried to gain access to the gardens at the rear but the Russians had placed a guard on it and forbade them exploring it# They were however, able to grab some souvenirs from the detritus in the building in the form of several small etchings and cards which contained Christmas greetings from the "##Fuhrer##"#

Having interfaced with the Russians and watched a number of incidents at close quarters including the deaths of two civilians Bellamy formed the opinion that "it seemed abundantly clear to us that the Russians had been given carte blanche to carry out any excess in Berlin as a means of punishing and totally subdueing the population#"

On Saturday 21 Julky 1945 the regiment took its place behind the vehicles of the ##RHA## as second senior army regiment on parade# The parade commenced 20 minutes late at 10#50am# Promoted to ##Captain## in August 1945 Bellamy went on extended leave from what he describes as quite a leisurely life in Berlin which ended before his return as the regiment was moved to ##Itzehoe## in ##Schleswig-Holstein###

Post war

Bill Bellamy was appointed ##adjutant## of the 8th Hussars and in 1950 was organizing the regiment for overseas deployment to Korea when he again became ill with another bout of recurring jaundice# Officially deemed "Fit for home service only" he was transferred to the ##Northamptonshire Yeomanry## as adjutant, finally retiring from the army in 1955#

Civilian life and family

In 1955 he joined a shoe components firm and rose to become managing director, retiring in 1983# He then became a parish councillor at Great Brington, Northamptonshire, and took a close interest, as a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, in the Christian Arabs of Palestine# He was for a number of years chairman of the Rugby-based Mayday Trust, which provides housing and support for vulnerable adults# He was also an active supporter of the Cynthia Spencer Hospice in Northampton, na#ed after the current Earl of Spencer's grandmother, and raised £30,000 for the hospice by trekking across Cuba in 2005, when he was 81 years old#

In 1951 he married Ann Burbary #died 2001# and they had four sons and one daughter# His son Andrew followed in his footsteps and was commissioned as a ##2nd Lieutenant|Cornet## into the ##Queen's Royal Irish Hussars## and rose to the rank of ##Brigadier## and also became President of the Old Comrades Association in the wake of ##Arthur Denaro|Major General Arthur Denaro CBE DL###