Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC has had his latest “hero of the month” article published in Britain at War, the country’s best-selling military history monthly magazine.
The March issue of the magazine has four pages on the life and career of Warrant Officer Justin Bell QGM. It is a special tribute to a man that Lord Ashcroft knew and admired.
Lord Ashcroft first met Bell 12 years ago, before writing his third bravery book, George Cross Heroes and while attending a bomb disposal course. Because so many GCs have been awarded to bomb disposal experts, Lord Ashcroft wanted to obtain an insight into the difficult and hazardous job that they faced.
Sadly, Bell died in the summer of 2019 after losing his battle against cancer. He was just 47 and left behind a widow and their two children. Before he died, he had been working on his autobiography.
With the blessing of his widow, this book has now been published thanks to the commitment of his friend, Jane Harvey-Berrick, a journalist and editor.
Bell completed 23 years in the Army, almost all of it serving as a bomb disposal operator. He carried out tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, always under huge pressure because of the nature of his job. His courage was recognised with the award of the Queen’s Gallantry Medal (QGM) in 2005.
Bell retired in 2011 in order to spend more time with his family but fell ill with brain cancer in 2017, and died two years later.
Lord Ashcroft’s articles for Britain at War over the past nine years have been largely based on excerpts from his seven books on gallantry: Victoria Cross Heroes, Special Forces Heroes, George Cross Heroes, Heroes of the Skies, Special Ops Heroes, Victoria Cross Heroes Volume II and Falklands War Heroes.
Lord Ashcroft is a military historian who has lectured extensively on courage and his various medal collections.
- Lord Ashcroft’s latest article appears in the March issue of Britain at War which is on sale now.
