Record

Code	DS/UK/74
Dates	1875-1951
Person Name	Gell; Edward Anthony Sydney (1875-1951); Lieutenant-Colonel; chaplain, soldier, Assistant Director of Records, IWGC Representative for Italy
Surname	Gell
Forenames	Edward Anthony Sydney
Title	Lieutenant-Colonel
Epithet	chaplain, soldier, Assistant Director of Records, IWGC Representative for Italy
Source	CWGC Archive, 24298, Gell E.A.S.; CWGC Archive, P 04, Lt. Col. Gell E.A.S.; Edward Anthony Sydney Gell in the Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900. Accessed via Ancestry UK website.
Biographical Note	Lieutenant Colonel Edward Anthony Sydney Gell DSO MC was the Imperial War Graves Commission’s Assistant Director of Records and later, the IWGC’s Representative for Italy after the First World War. Edward Anthony Sydney Gell was born on 23 June 1875. He was educated at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge and later ordained as a Vicar. From 1899, Gell was a Trooper in the Imperial Yeomanry, receiving the rank of Lieutenant in 1900 and remaining in the regiment until 1901. In 1902, Edward Gell married Gertrude Bembridge. There were 3 children from the marriage. He was then a Chaplain to H.M. Forces from 1908 until 1914 when he resigned. During the First World War, Gell served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers, receiving several promotions: A/Capt (1916); A/Major (1917); A/Lt. Col. (1917), before serving as a Major in the Rhine Army in 1919, commanding 26th Royal Fusiliers. In the same year, he also served in the Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries as a Lieutenant Colonel. Gell received a number of awards throughout his military career, including the Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross, and South African (Queen’s) Medal. He was mentioned in dispatches in 1918. Lieutenant Colonel Gell was first appointed to the Commission’s staff as Assistant Director of Records in April 1921. He was given unpaid leave from 8 June 1926 and later rejoined for duty in July 1926. He resigned from the position in September 1926 but later rejoined as the Imperial War Graves Commission’s representative to Italy in April 1928 before resigning on 31 March 1936. He died on 9 May 1951, aged 75.

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