Ken Bell
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Ken Bell (born July 30, 1914 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) was a Canadian photographer during the Second World War, operating in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
One of Canada's most accomplished photographers, Bell documented Canada's participation in World War II while serving as a lieutenant in the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit.
Like his better known contemporary Robert Capa, Bell participated in the Normandy Landings, disembarking at Juno Beach on June 6, 1944 with The Highland Light Infantry of Canada (now known as the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada). The first wave suffered 50% casualties, the second highest of the five D-Day beachheads.
His war photographs - taken with a Rolleiflex camera - are housed by Library and Archives Canada.[1], in Ottawa.
After the war he had a successful career as a professional photographer.
In 1953 he published "Curtain Call", a collection of photographs in which he "tried to show the changes brought by man and nature in the 5 years since VE day". This was followed in 1973 by "Not in Vain", published by the University of Toronto Press, a collection of photographs taken partly during the war, and partly 25 years later when he returned to the same locations in France, Belgium and Holland.
In 1990, he collaborated with Desmond Morton to publish a book detailing the history of the Royal Canadian Military Institute.
His nephew Richard Williams is a noted Canadian animator.
He died on June 26 2000 in Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada.
[edit] References
[edit] Bibliography
- Curtain Call, 1953
- Not in Vain, University of Toronto Press, 1973
- 100 years: The Royal Canadian Regiment, 1883-1983, Collier Macmillan Canada, 1983
- The Way We Were, University of Toronto Press, 1988
