Bessell M Captain 10th Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment
CAPTAIN MOWBRAY BESSELL, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, was born on 23 September 1876. He became a member of the Stock Exchange in 1902. A keen supporter of the Volunteer movement, he was for many years a captain in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
On the outbreak of war he applied for a commission and was gazetted Lieutenant in the East Surrey Regiment, being promoted Captain on 1 January 1915 and transferred to The Queen’s Regiment.
He was one of the many victims of the battle of the Somme, being killed in action on 15 September 1916 at Flers.
His Colonel wrote: “You know how much we all loved him, and personally I feel I have lost a real and dear friend; never was there a more loyal and hardworking officer. I can’t tell you what I and all the regiment owe him. He loved his Company and was always working for them, and it was through him that they were able to do what they did last Friday, and go through everything with the greatest dash and in a manner unsurpassed by any regiment in the British Army.”
Captain Bessell was married, and resided at Indian Farm, Effingham, Surrey.
Source : The Stock Exchange War Memorial 1914-1918