Part 156

=POWELL, GEORGE EDWARD=, Private, No. 7183, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, only _s._ of the late Frank Powell, Postman, by his first wife, Winifred, dau. of Joseph Tracey, of Gloucester; _b._ Longdon, near Tewkesbury, co. Gloucester, 29 Nov. 1889; enlisted 21 Feb. 1907; went to the Front with the first Expeditionary Force, and was killed in action at St. Julien, 21 Oct. 1914. He _m._ at St. Michael’s Church, Stonebridge Park, Willesden, 22 Feb. 1914, Emily Annie (106, Goldhurst Terrace, South Hampstead), eldest dau. of David Harper, of 31, Winchelsea Road, Harlesden, N.; _s.p._

=POWELL, HAROLD OSBORNE=, 2nd Lieut., 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, only _s._ of Hubert John Powell, of Hill Lodge, Lewes, Land Agent, by his wife, Mabel, dau. of Charles Francis Trower, Barrister-at-Law; _b._ Lewes, co. Sussex, 20 Aug. 1888; educ. Winchester; was a Land Agent in his father’s office in Lewes; joined the Sussex Yeomanry in 1908, and the Inns of Court O.T.C. in 1912; volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war, and was given a commission as 2nd Lieut. 15 Aug. 1914; gazetted as attd. to the 4th Reserve Regt. of Cavalry on the 22nd; went to France 8 Oct. 1914, and was killed in action at Messines, during the First Battle of Ypres, 31 Oct. following; _unm._ Buried in a cottage garden at Messines. His commanding officer at Tidworth, where he went through his training, wrote: “I considered him one of the smartest and quite the most able of the young officers here, that was the reason why I selected him as the first of his class to go to the Front. He had a charming personality and was always full of energy.” His commanding officer at the Front also wrote: “He was fighting in the town of Messines guarding a barricade at very close quarters with the enemy. I sent him with a message to the Queen’s Bays on my left, and while carrying the message he was shot by a sniper”; and the officer commanding his squadron: “I had many opportunities of seeing your son’s behaviour under fire--it was in the highest sense praiseworthy. He showed himself in this his first and only action to be a very cool and efficient officer.” At Winchester he was a member of the Commoner football XV, 1903–06, and captain of Commoner VI, 1905–06.

=POWELL, JOHN=, A.B., S.S. 1861, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=POWELL, RHYS CAMPBELL FFOLLIOTT=, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. Highland L.I., only child of Major-Gen. Charles Herbert Powell, of the Lower House, Wickham, co. Hants, C.B., Indian Army, by his wife, Alice, dau. of the late James Mackenzie, of Auchenheglish, co. Dumbarton, and grandson of Capt. Williams Wellington Powell, 9th Regt.; _b._ Dharamsala, Punjab, 24 July, 1892; educ. St. Clare, Walmer; Winchester College, and Trinity College, Cambridge; gazetted 2nd Lieut. Highland L.I., 3 Sept. 1912; went to France, 13 Aug. 1914, with the Expeditionary Force, and was killed in action at Verneuil, 14 Sept. 1914, during the Battle of the Aisne; _unm._

=POWELL, WILLIAM ARCHIE=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 3821, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=POWELL, WILLIAM JOHNSON=, Stoker, Petty Officer, 284603, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=POWER, HERBERT=, Capt. and Adjutant, 2nd Battn. Northamptonshire Regt., _s._ of the late Lieut.-Col. Frederick Edward Power (died Sept. 1915), late Northamptonshire Regt., by his wife, Ellen Matilda (7, Newsteine, Brighton), dau. of the late Charles James Barnett, of 12, Chichester Terrace, Brighton, J.P. and D.L. for Gloucestershire; _b._ Northampton, 14 March, 1886; educ. Victoria College, Jersey, and St. Paul’s School, London (Scholar); gazetted 2nd Lieut., Northamptonshire Regt., 24 Jan. 1906, and promoted Lieut. 1 Dec. 1908, and Capt. 15 June, 1913; appointed Adjutant, 20 Nov. 1911; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from Nov. 1914, and was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle, 12 March, 1915; _unm._ Buried just outside Neuve Chapelle. Capt. Power was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 5 April [London Gazette, 22 June], 1915.

=POWER, JOYCE=, Leading Stoker (R.F.R., B. 9324), 308879, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._

=POWNALL, GEORGE HARLEY=, Lieut.-Commander, R.N., only _s._ of the late Frank Pownall, of 7F, Bickenhall Mansions, W., Barrister-at-Law, Registrar of the Royal College of Music, by his wife, Helen Augusta, yst. dau. of Sir William Henry Stephenson, K.C.B.; _b._ London, 30 Aug. 1883; educ. Evelyns, and Cheltenham College, and subsequently went to the Britannia, passing in third on the list and first out; became Midshipman 15 Sept. 1899, Sub-Lieut. 1902, Lieut. 1903, and Lieut.-Commander 1912; served in China as Midshipman, H.M.S. Terrible, under Sir Percy Scott, and on coming home took his “five firsts.” He chose the submarine branch of the service, and after serving in B.1, and having the charge of the A boats at Fort Block House and serving in C.9, he was eventually appointed to the Onyx at Plymouth and finally 1st Lieut. to the Egmont, with command of the Malta Submarine Flotilla. He was second in command of landing operations at V Beach, Gallipoli, during the landing at the Dardanelles on 25 April, 1915, and was struck while giving orders from his picket boat. He was carried on board a transport where he died in a few hours, being buried at sea. He _m._ at St. Paul’s, Knightsbridge, 17 Dec. 1910, Vera, dau. of Henry Chichester, of Verbeer, Cullompton, Devon.

=POWRIE, THOMAS=, Private, No. 2852, 17th Battn. (Poplar and Stepney Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), eldest _s._ of Thomas Powrie, Private, No. 9754, 4th Battn. Royal Fusiliers (now on active service in France), by his wife, Emily (58, Canal Road, Mile End, London), dau. of the late Edwin Beard; _b._ Mile End, London, 18 Dec. 1896; educ. Harford Street L.C.C. School there; was employed in the firm of Messrs. Remington, typewriter manufacturers, as a mechanic; enlisted after the outbreak of war, 21 Aug. 1914; went to the Front, 25 March, 1915; was in the actions at La Bassée and Neuve Chapelle, and died in No. 13 General Hospital, Boulogne, 14 Nov. 1915, of a bullet wound in the head, received at the Battle of Loos. He was buried in the Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne (Grave No. 2771).

=POYNTER, JOHN JACK=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./16550, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PRATLEY, ELISHA=, Stoker, 1st Class, 238572, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PRATT, ALFRED MASON=, Corpl., No. 3/614, New Zealand Medical Corps, _s._ of James Pratt, Member of the Mounted Armed Constabulary, New Zealand, formerly Sergt. in the Donegal P.W. Artillery; _b._ Wyndham, New Zealand, 1886; joined the Staff of No. 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Wellington, 20 March, 1915, with which he went to Egypt, and after some months in Cairo, proceeded to Salonika, and was lost on H.M. Transport Ship Marquette, when that ship was torpedoed in the Ægean Sea, 23 Oct. following.

=PRATT, GEORGE=, Stoker, 1st Class, 287482, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PRATT, GEORGE WILLIAM=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 5284), S.S. 100034, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PRATT, LIONEL HENRY=, 2nd Lieut,. 18th Battn. (London Irish) The London Regt. (T.F.), yst. _s._ of Edward Roger Pratt, of Ryston Hall, Downham, co. Norfolk, J.P., D.L., by his wife the Hon. Louisa Francis, née Mulholland, dau. of John, 1st Baron Dunleath; _b._ Ryston Hall aforesaid, 17 Dec. 1889; educ. Uppingham School, and on leaving there in 1904 entered Lloyd’s Bank. He joined the London Irish on the outbreak of war, and volunteered for foreign service; went to France with his regt. in March, 1915, and was killed in action at Loos, 25 Sept. 1915. On this occasion the London Irish formed part of the 47th Division, and referring to them F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French said in his Despatch of 15 Oct. 1915: “The 47th Division occupied the southern outskirts of Loos. Thence it pushed on, and by taking possession of the cemetery, the enclosures and chalk pits, succeeded in forming a strong defensive flank. This London Territorial Division acquitted itself most creditably. It was skilfully led, and the troops carried out their task with great energy and determination.” He was buried at the cross roads between the cemetery and South Maroc; _unm._ His Major wrote: “He was so absolutely reliable as an officer, so conscientious, so calm. If he said he had been up to the German wires, they all knew he had been--he was so absolutely fearless. His loss was a disaster to the regt.”; and the Sergt. of D Coy.: “It was D Coy.’s particular task to take the cemetery, just outside the village. We got there all right, and going on splendidly. A party of Germans commenced firing on some of the Scots following us. A sergt. sent a message for an officer to come along. Mr. Pratt immediately volunteered and walked along the top of the trench and got a bullet. When he was lying there wounded he displayed his usual great bravery, and was a wonderful example to his men. Everybody loved and esteemed him, he was the Battalion’s greatest loss in the battle. A better officer we could not have had, his work out here has been invaluable.”

=PRATTEN, HERBERT=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 5720), 284931, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._

=PREECE, FREDERICK JOHN=, Private, No. 17016, 9th (Service) Battn. Worcestershire Regt., _s._ of George Preece, of Newland Post Office, Coleford, Glos., by his wife, Alice, dau. of John Grazier; _b._ 30 June, 1896; educ. at Clearwell C. Schools; was in the employ of Mr. C. T. Palmer, of Newland House, J.P.; volunteered and enlisted, 29 Aug. 1914; served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at the Dardanelles from 20 June to 10 Aug. 1915, on which date he was killed in action there; _unm._ He was a member of the choir at All Saints’ Church, Newland.

=PRENTICE, JOSEPH=, Acting Sergt., No. 7673, 2nd Battn. The Essex Regt., 4th _s._ of the late Charles Prentice, by his wife, Sarah, dau. of James Patient; _b._ Springfield, co. Essex, 19 May, 1885; educ. there; was a member of the Essex Constabulary, and later an employee at the Chelmsford Golf Club; enlisted 5 Oct. 1903; served three years with the Colours, and then joined the Reserve; rejoined his old regt. the day after war was declared, 5 Aug. 1914; went to France, 22 Aug.; served during the winter of 1914–15, and died in No. 18 General Hospital, Etaples, 29 May, 1915, of wounds received in action at Ypres on the 26th. Buried at Cainers. He was recommended for the D.C.M., for conspicuous bravery in the field, 14 March. Sergt. Prentice _m._ at Shelly Church, Ongar, 1910, Alice (Well Lane, Galleywood, Chelmsford), dau. of William Tarling, of Ongar, and had three children: Joseph Charles, _b._ 29 April, 1911; Sydney Reginald, _b._ 5 Feb. 1913; and Gladys Evelyn, _b._ 18 April, 1915.

=PRESCOTT, FREDERICK JOHN=, Private, No. 12628, 1st Battn. Coldstream Guards, 2nd _s._ of John Prescott, of Budleigh Hill, Allerford, co. Somerset, Game Keeper to Sir Thomas Acland; by his wife, Mary, dau. of Samuel Burgess; _b._ Selworthy, co. Somerset, 11 May, 1890; educ. Allerford; was a Gardener in the employ of Sir Thomas Acland, at Allerford, for five years, and then for 1½ years in the employ of Sir Ian Amory, at Tiverton; enlisted in the Coldstreams, 17 Sept. 1914; went to France 9 Jan. 1915, and was killed in action at Cuinchy, on the 25th of that month; _unm._ Buried in the churchyard there.

=PRESTON, ARTHUR JOHN DILLON=, Capt., 2nd Battn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers, only _s._ of Major Arthur John Preston, of Swainston, co. Meath, late Duke of Wellington’s Regt., B.A., Trin. Coll., Dublin, J.P. cos. Durham and Meath, by his wife, Gertrude Mary, dau. of Richard Knight, of Bobbing Court, co. Kent; _b._ Luther House, Huddersfield, 16 Nov. 1885; educ. Malvern College; gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 3rd (Militia) Battn. of the Durham L.I., 5 Oct. 1904, posted to the 1st Battn. Dublin Fusiliers, 2 March, 1907, promoted Lieut. 15 Dec. 1909, and Capt. 2nd Battn. 7 June, 1914; served with the 1st Battn. in Egypt, where he joined the Mounted Infantry, winning at Cairo the Lloyd Lindsay prize. At the outbreak of the European War he was ordered to Naas and afterwards to the Curragh to raise the 6th Service Battn. of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, with which he proceeded to the Gallipoli Peninsula on 9 July. He took part in all the heavy fighting at Suvla Bay until 15 Aug. when he fell in the moment of victory. The Colonel of his battn. writing to his widow, remarked: “I am sure all Ireland will soon hear of the charge of the Dublins and Munsters on that (15th) afternoon. Your husband (Capt. Preston, second in command) was responsible for it and organised it splendidly, and in conjunction with Capt. Whyte he brilliantly led it. It was a magnificent sight considering they charged up a hill through a hail of bombs and bullets. Capt. Preston got safely on the hill (capturing the trench), but in the counter-attack was fatally wounded in the right breast. I was the last officer to speak to him, and told him how splendidly he had done. Personally, I feel his death very much. No man could have helped his colonel more than he, the success of the regt. was greatly due to him.” Capt. Whyte, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, wrote: “We closed on the Munsters, and all collected on some dead ground about 100 yards from the crest; I was sitting beside John, and he was in his usual spirits, laughing and joking. When the word came that we were to clear the ridge we fixed bayonets, then we all started together, Dublins and Munsters, John shouting ‘Come on boys.’ They (the Turks) threw bombs and opened fire upon us as we neared the top, but we went straight on and rushed the trench. The Turks put up their hands. I saw John stop his men who were just going to bayonet a Turkish officer. As you know, he was my best friend, and was loved by every one in the regt., officers, N.C.Os, and men. The only consolation is that he died a glorious death, leading his men to victory, the death I am sure he would have chosen.” Capt. Preston wrote to his wife on that fatal 15 Aug., remarking: “I have had six hours sleep and am full of buck and life.” Also to his father a five-page letter. The battle had even then commenced in the valley below. It was written under strenuous circumstances, no change of clothes for five nights, and only six hours sleep, no chance of a wash, and exposed to the heat of a tropical sun, yet his last written words were “Love to you all; I am very fit and quite happy.” He and the Adjutant, Capt. Richards, who fell at the same time, were buried side by side in the same grave close to the sea shore at Suvla Bay. A flat gravestone covers them with their names engraved upon it under the words “In Victory.” He was mentioned for gallant and distinguished service in the field by Sir Ian Hamilton in his Despatch of 11 Dec. 1915. While in Egypt he and Lieut. Crozier sailed some hundreds of miles up the White Nile from Khartoum, in a rough native boat, on which occasion they secured a fine bag of big game, including lion, buffalo, elephant, hippo, and various specimens of antelope, deer, etc. He was a keen sportsman, well known with the Kildare and Meath hounds, and a fine cricketer and tennis player, and the best shot with revolver and rifle (tied) in his battn. Capt. Preston _m._ at St. Mary-le-Bone Church, London, 24 March, 1914, Sylvia, dau. of Arthur James Billin, of Tadworth, co. Surrey, and had a son: John Nathaniel, _b._ 27 Jan. 1915.

=PRESTON, GEORGE FRANCIS=, Private, No. 365, 3rd Battn. 1st Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, _s._ of James Preston, of Milton, Hampshire (who served as a gunner in the R.G.A. for 12 years, and is one of the few survivors of Lord Roberts’ march from Kabul to Kandahar), by his wife, Florence Alexandra, dau. of the late Capt. F. Bunyer, R.H.A.; _b._ Harda, Central Province, India, 20 March, 1893; educ. National School, Milton; went to Australia in July, 1913, and settled at Milton, New South Wales, to learn farming; volunteered for Imperial service on the outbreak of war, and joined the 3rd Battn. Australian Imperial Force; left for Egypt with the main force; took part in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25 April, 1915; was wounded in the right arm, shortly afterwards, and was killed in action there, 7–12 Aug. 1915; _unm._

=PRESTON, GEORGE THOMAS=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 2520), 202274, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PRESTON, THOMAS ARTHUR=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./17074, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PRETT, JESSE=, Stoker, Petty Officer (R.F.R., Ch. B. 2123), 165403, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PRICE, ALFRED=, 2nd Yeoman of Signals (R.F.R., B. 3715), 133963, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._