John Bell (British Army officer)

Sir John Bell
Portrait commissioned by Island of Guernsey
Born	1 January 1782
Died	20 November 1876 (1876-11-21) (aged 94)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Peninsular War Anglo-American War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

General Sir John Bell GCB (1 January 1782 – 20 November 1876) was a British soldier and magistrate. At the time of his death, he was the senior general of the British Army.

Born at Bonytoun in the county of Fife, he was the son of David Bell. After attending Dundee Academy, he worked first as a merchant and in 1805 entered the British Army as an ensign of the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot. Bell was known as a witty raconteur, and gifted artist and draughtsman.

He went to Sicily a year later and subsequently took part in the Peninsular War until 1814. During this time, he was decorated with the Army Silver Medal with six clasps and received the Army Gold Cross. Bell was wounded in the Battle of Vimeiro in 1808 and was in the war's last years assistant quartermaster-general. In December 1814, he was transferred with his regiment to the United States and was involved in the Anglo-American War until begin of the following year. After his return to England, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath.

Bell was sent to the Cape of Good Hope as deputy quartermaster-general in 1821 and served as chief secretary to the colony's government from 1828. At that time his nephew Charles Davidson Bell held the post of Surveyor-General in the Cape Colony. He was appointed an aide-de-camp to King William IV of the United Kingdom in 1831 and was promoted to major-general in 1841. He joined the board of general officers in 1847 and was nominated Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey in the following year, holding that office until 1854.