On This Day 11 June 1967 Bombadier Billy Wells died
William Thomas Wells, better known as Bombardier Billy Wells (31 August 1889 – 11 June 1967)
Billy Wells lived at 99a Streatham Hill and Nimrod Road, Streatham. His two sons attended Streatham Hill College.
He joined the Royal Artillery as a gunner and was posted to Rawlpindi where he thrived in the army boxing matches
He is best known as the man hitting the gong at the start of Rank films
Billy was an English heavyweight boxer. Fighting under the name "Bombardier Billy Wells", he was British and British Empire Champion from 1911 until 1919, defending his title fourteen times. In 1911 he became the first Heavyweight to win the Lonsdale Belt, which had been introduced for British champions at all weights in 1909.
Wells, who was 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and was between 182 and 192 lb (83 and 87 kg), fought with an orthodox style.
He died at home 1A Florence Road Ealing.
(Billy Wells was distantly related to Vanessa lee - see post 18 June 2020)
William Thomas Wells, better known as Bombardier Billy Wells (31 August 1889 – 11 June 1967)
Billy Wells lived at 99a Streatham Hill and Nimrod Road, Streatham. His two sons attended Streatham Hill College.
He joined the Royal Artillery as a gunner and was posted to Rawlpindi where he thrived in the army boxing matches
He is best known as the man hitting the gong at the start of Rank films
Billy was an English heavyweight boxer. Fighting under the name "Bombardier Billy Wells", he was British and British Empire Champion from 1911 until 1919, defending his title fourteen times. In 1911 he became the first Heavyweight to win the Lonsdale Belt, which had been introduced for British champions at all weights in 1909.
Wells, who was 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and was between 182 and 192 lb (83 and 87 kg), fought with an orthodox style.
He died at home 1A Florence Road Ealing.
(Billy Wells was distantly related to Vanessa lee - see post 18 June 2020)
