F. S. Bell F. S. Bell Captain Frederick Secker Bell CB (17 August 1897 – 23 November 1973) of the Royal Navy was the commander of during the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939. He was educated at Matfield Grange, a prep school in Kent, and then at the Royal Naval Colleges of Osborne and Dartmouth. He served afloat in the battleship at the Battle of Jutland, as First Lieutenant of the destroyer in the Reserve Fleet at Devonport, 1923–25, and as executive officer of from 1935–38 and was promoted captain on 31 December 1938. He took command of in August
Ship's chronometer from HMS Beagle Bolder. In July 1830 the chronometer was returned from "Hecla" and went for cleaning to Robert Molyneux in London. It was returned to Greenwich in November but not immediately issued to another ship. In March 1831 the chronometer was delivered to Devonport where the rate was checked and recorded. On 6 December 1831 it was issued to Captain Stokes in command of HMS "Beagle". It sailed with Captain Fitzroy on "Beagle"'s famous second voyage and was returned to Greenwich 7 November 1836. After a period at Arnold and Dent for cleaning it was transported by HMS "Lightning" to Devonport or