Frank Powell
Captain Frank Powell, Royal Navy (10 August, 1876 – 9 August, 1930) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.
Life & Career
Born in London, Frank Powell gained eight months time on passing out of Britannia in July of 1892.[1]
Powell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1898.[2]
Powell was appointed as first lieutenant in recommended for promotion in 1904 for his bravery in support of Captain Gaunt's landing in Durbo in Swaziland and was mentioned in despatches for his services in the Somaliland Expedition and received the Africa General Service Medal.[3]
Powell was in command of the destroyer Gala when she was cut in two and sank in April, 1908.
Powell was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1910.[4]
As a Commander, he was appointed in command of the Vigilant, serving with the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla, in May, 1912.[5]
In July, 1912, he was faulted for having rendered the charts in Bullfinch useless by failing to completely apply a correction.[6]
On 1 November, 1913, Powell was appointed to H.M.S. Vivid, additional, and on the 11th he was placed in charge of the Detention Barracks.
Great War
On 22 August, Powell was moved from Detention Barrack command in Devonport for duty at a Naval Camp in Portsmouth, but on 1 October, he was moved back to his previous command.
On 16 January, 1915, Powell was appointed in command of Devonport's Boys' Training Establishment. On 19 April, he was superseded and, in May, 1915 was appointed in command of the decoy vessel Q2. He led her in action against an enemy submarine on 8 December, 1916 when he had to endure almost two and half hours of being stalked by his invisible adversary.
On 1 May, 1917, Q2 was renamed Intaba, but Powell left when she paid off on 21 May. The following day he was appointed in command of the Q-ship Ravenstone (renamed Donlevon on that same date). He remained with her until being sent to President for special service on 17 October, 1917.[7]
Promoted to Captain on 31 December 1917, Powell was appointed in command of the first class protected cruiser Endymion in late January, 1918. He was in command when she was torpedoed by the German submarine UC 37 while anchored at Stavros on 30 August, 1918. Powell was faulted for having not warning all ships in the anchorage of the presence of an enemy submarine, not having told his superior office that he was landing, and for allowing the duty monitor to also go ashore.[8]
Post-War
Powell was appointed in command of the armoured cruiser Leviathan on 5 December, 1918.[9]
He was appointed in command of the flotilla leader Saumarez on 1 October, 1919.[10]
Powell was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 14 July, 1922.[11]
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Lionel J. G. Anderson |
Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant 12 Jan, 1906[12] |
Succeeded by George B. Hartford |
| Preceded by Charles P. R. Coode |
Captain of H.M.S. Gala ? – 27 Apr, 1908[13] |
Succeeded by Vessel Lost |
| Preceded by Henry C. Rawlings |
Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant May, 1912[14] – c. Aug, 1913 |
Succeeded by Malcolm L. Goldsmith |
| Preceded by Cecil M. Staveley |
Captain of H.M.S. Endymion Jan, 1918[15] |
Succeeded by Henry G. H. Adams |
| Preceded by Bertram S. Evans |
Captain of H.M.S. Leviathan 5 Dec, 1918[16] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Patrick E. Parker |
Captain of H.M.S. Faulknor 21 Apr, 1919[17] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Lewis G. E. Crabbe |
Captain of H.M.S. Saumarez 1 Oct, 1919[18] |
Succeeded by Henry G. L. Oliphant |
Footnotes
- ↑ Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
- ↑ Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
- ↑ Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
- ↑ Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 394.
- ↑ Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
- ↑ Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
- ↑ Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
- ↑ Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 861.
- ↑ Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1907). p. 394.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 14 May, 1908. Issue 38646, col C, p. 9.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 394.
- ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 831.
- ↑ The Navy List. (June, 1919). p. 792.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 861.
