Frank Powell

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Captain Frank Powell, Royal Navy (10 August, 1876 – 9 August, 1930) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

He is not the same person as Francis Powell, who served in the navy earlier.

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 On 19 April, he was superseded and, in May, 1915 was appointed in command of the decoy vessel Q2.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 and made British Senior Naval Officer, Italy and given responsibility for the mobile craft which kept the Otranto Barrage operational.[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
Alan C. Bruce
Captain of H.M.S. Vulture
13 Oct, 1905[12] – 12 Jan, 1906[13]
Succeeded by
Lionel J. G. Anderson
Preceded by
Lionel J. G. Anderson
Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant
12 Jan, 1906[14][15] – 19 Aug, 1907[16]
Succeeded by
Edward Secretan
Preceded by
Charles P. R. Coode
Captain of H.M.S. Gala
19 Aug, 1907[17] – 27 Apr, 1908[18]
Succeeded by
Vessel Lost
Preceded by
Francis G. St. G. Brooker
Captain of H.M.S. Itchen
10 Jan, 1911[19] – 11 Apr, 1911[20]
Succeeded by
Sydney Hopkins
Preceded by
Henry V. Hudson
Captain of H.M.S. Bullfinch
11 Apr, 1911[21] – 1912[22]
Succeeded by
Arthur M. Peters
Preceded by
Henry C. Rawlings
Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant
May, 1912[23] – 15 Aug, 1913[24]
Succeeded by
Malcolm L. Goldsmith
Preceded by
Malcolm L. Goldsmith
Captain of H.M.S. Earnest
15 Aug, 1913[25] – 1 Nov, 1913[26]
Succeeded by
Charles A. W. Wrightson
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Syringa
23 Oct, 1917[27] – 7 Jan, 1918[28]
Succeeded by
Maurice B. R. Blackwood
Preceded by
Cecil M. Staveley
Captain of H.M.S. Endymion
25 Jan, 1918[29] – after 30 Aug, 1918[30]
Succeeded by
Henry G. H. Adams
Preceded by
Bertram S. Evans
Captain of H.M.S. Leviathan
5 Dec, 1918[31][32] – 21 Apr, 1919[33]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
?
British Senior Naval Officer, Italy
5 Dec, 1918[34] – 21 Apr, 1919[35]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Patrick E. Parker
Captain of H.M.S. Faulknor
21 Apr, 1919[36][37] – 1 Oct, 1919[38]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Kerrison Kiddle
Captain of H.M.S. Saumarez
1 Oct, 1919[39][40] – 15 Apr, 1921[41]
Succeeded by
Henry G. L. Oliphant
Preceded by
Colin Mackenzie
Captain of H.M.S. Conqueror
5 May, 1921[42]c. 1 Jun, 1921[43]
Succeeded by
Robert C. Hamilton
Preceded by
Alan J. Mackenzie-Grieve
Captain of H.M.S. Vindictive
c. 1 Jun, 1921[44] – 15 Jun, 1921[45]
Succeeded by
Reginald J. N. Watson
Preceded by
George B. Powell
Captain of H.M.S. Monarch
12 Jul, 1921[46] – 17 Aug, 1921[47]
Succeeded by
Reginald J. N. Watson
Preceded by
Samuel M. G. Gravener
Captain of H.M.S. Diligence
17 Aug, 1921[48]c. Sep, 1921[Inference]
Succeeded by
Harry W. C. Hughes
Preceded by
Harry W. C. Hughes
Captain of H.M.S. Blenheim
c. late Aug, 1921[49]c. mid Oct, 1921
Succeeded by
Lawrence L. Dundas

Footnotes

  1. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  2. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  3. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  4. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  5. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 394.
  6. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  7. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  8. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  9. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  10. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 861.
  11. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  12. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  13. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  14. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  15. The Navy List. (March, 1907). p. 394.
  16. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  17. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  18. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 14 May, 1908. Issue 38646, col C, p. 9.
  19. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  20. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  21. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  22. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  23. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 394.
  24. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  25. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  26. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  27. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  28. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  29. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  30. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  31. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 831.
  32. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  33. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  34. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274. Day of month not legible.
  35. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  36. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  37. The Navy List. (June, 1919). p. 792.
  38. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  39. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  40. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 861.
  41. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  42. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  43. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  44. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  45. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  46. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  47. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  48. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  49. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.