BORN 1884, CARLUKE, LANARKSHIRE, 1884. ARMY RECORDS SHOW THAT HE LIVED AT OSBOURNE STREET, HULL. HE MARRIED MARY ELLEN BURNETT AND LIVED AT 10 NEW MICHAEL STREET,- 1914. HE ENLISTED IN THE HULL PALS. KILLED IN ACTION, ON 22/07/1916.
Hull Pals Memorial Post. PRIVATE JOSEPH BELL MEGAHY 11/451. Born in 1884 in Carluke, Lanarkshire Joseph was a Fisherman working out of Hull when war broke out. He enlisted on 8th September 1914 at City Hall and wasted no time in whisking Mary Bell off to Hull Registry Office on the 10th. He had previously served time at His Majesty’s Pleasure, though for what I can’t find, and a rather untamed streak also manifested itself during his months as a soldier. He was fined 11 days pay for going AWOL between 29th March and 8th April 1915 whilst still training, and fined a further 10 days pay when found drunk and disorderly in Port Said on 19th January 1916 during the Pals posting to Egypt. I wish I knew of a story, it seems such a coincidence that two men as unsuited to the strict rigors of military discipline like Joseph and John Walsh (Day 649) should be killed on the same day, but alas no such tale is recorded. Joseph was killed in action on 22nd July 1916 and is buried at Rue-du-Bacquerot No.1 Military Cemetery; he was 32 years old.
