Bell, George (1882 - 1970)

Summary

George Bell graduated from the University of Sydney in 1910 where he studied medicine. During 1906-1907 he held junior and senior residencies at Sydney Hospital. Bell entered general practice in 1908 and was appointed assistant honorary surgeon at Sydney Hospital. He served in World War I under captain in the Australian Army Medical Corps and was posted on the Western Front in 1917 at the Australian Casualty Clearing Station. His work as a surgeon during the war was lauded and was awarded an Order of the British Empire in 1919. He returned to Sydney and was a visiting surgeon at the Prince of Wales Hospital (1919-1947) and Sydney Hospital (1921-1942). Bell served as a consulting surgeon afterwards, gaining the titles of president of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons from 1949-1951, surgical consultant to the Royal Australian Navy from 1929, honorary surgeon commander (1941-1947) and captain (1947-1969) in the reserve. He was the Deputy-chairman of the New South Wales Medical Co-ordination Committee (1941-1942) and its executive officer (1942-1946). Bell was also the state president of the British Medical Association (1931-1932), treasurer (1935-1944) and vice-chairman (1939-1944) of the federal council. He was elected an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1958 and awarded a Commander of the British Empire title in 1967.

Published resources

Book Sections

• Refshauge, W. D., 'Bell, George (1882-1970), surgeon' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 13: 1940 - 1980 A-De, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1993), pp. 158-159. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130185b.htm. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q21538036. Details
• 'Bell, George (18820710-19700822)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1463857. Details