A RARE R.N.V.R. "SEAFIRE PILOT" CASUALTY GROUP of Five with M.I.D.

To:
Lieut (A) A.C.POWELL. 807 Sqd. RNAS.

Took part in Operations,
"TORCH", "HUSKY", & "AVELANCHE".
KILLED 9th November 1944
In Experimental Radar D.H. Mosquito Loss.

With father's 1914-15 R.A.M.C. Trio.






[THE MEDALS]
The 1939-45 Star
The Africa Star (North Africa 1942-43] Clasp
The Italy Star
The War Medal 1939-45 (With M.I.D. Oak Leaf Emblem)

[BIOGRAPHY]
Alan Charles Powell was the son of James & Elizabeth Powell of Ponders End, Enfield, Middlesex. Alan joined the RNAS and was commissioned Lt to became a carrier based Supermarine Seafire Pilot.



He had an illustrious wartime career while operating from three of the leading aircraft carriers of the war. He took part in three major invasions while serving from: H.M.S. FURIOUS (Operation Torch) The North African landings. H.M.S. INDOMITABLE (Operation Husky) The Sicily landings & H.M.S. BATTLER (Operation Avelanche)
The Salerno Landings.

An RNAS "MARTLET" (Grumman Wildcat) landing on the deck of HMS BATTLER.
(An original & unique picture developed onboard)



[MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES. 21st MARCH 1944]








Alan Powell received an M.I.D. after Operation Avalanche (The Salerno Landings).

The text reads:
"Although this officer was not in combat with the enemy during this operation, his conduct both in the air and on board was of the highest order. In view of the fact that Sub.Lieutenant Powell has taken part in three invasion operations in this theatre, vis, North Africa, Sicily and Italy, it is thought that some recognition for his exemplary conduct throughout may be in order".

It appears that 807 Squadron then departed HMS Battler and into HMS Hunter which returned to the U.K. on 30th September 1943 with an arrival at Liverpool on October 9th where the Seafires then disembarked to **R.N.A.S. BURSCOUGH (Near Southport, Lancs).

( **Note. The runways at this now long abandoned RNAS airfield were 'a bit cracked & weedy' but still almost useable as late as 1967 as I used to do 'touch & go' forced landing practices in D.H. Chipmunks while flying with No.10 A.E.F. from nearby RAF Woodvale....the airfield is now covered by an industrial building estate.)

[POSTED TO SCOTLAND]
It was at this time late in 1943 that clearly having 'done his bit' during some of the most demanding naval flying of the war and being a highly experienced carrier operations pilot that the navy elected to post Lt Powell to a U.K. home flying unit.

This was 778 Squadron. S.T.U, based at H.M.S. Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Scotland. No 778 Squadron was a "Service Trials Unit" which operated and evaluated every type of aircraft being used by the Fleet Air Arm.

[THE FINAL SORTIE]
It was on Thursday 9th November 1944 while flying over the sea in a D.H. Mosquito on a radar evaluation & test sortie that Alan Powell was lost. Somewhat unusually, for a duel crew aeroplane, he was clearly flying the aircraft 'solo' as there were no other crew losses reported that day. One can therefore deduce that he was on a fairly local evaluation flight which did not require the usual presence of a navigator. With attentions perhaps distracted at low level by the new radar kit he may have lost control of the aircraft or was perhaps shot down by a patrolling Luftwaffe aircraft. We will probably never know as neither he or the aircraft was ever found.

Alan Powell is commemorated with eternal honour on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial. (Bay 5, Panel 4.)

This is an outstandingly unusual RNAS Casualty group with M.I.D. to a man who somehow (we feel) was overlooked for a much deserved and formal award of the D.S.C.






This grouping also includes the WW1 1914-15 Trio to Alan Powell's father, Pte JAMES POWELL R.A.M.C. who entered France on 20th June 1915. Trio is E.F. and mounted as worn.

WW1 Medals EF as worn.
WW2 Medals "Mint" with original mint ribbons.









The entire father & son assembly comes with the original supporting MID citation, private photo, hand carved pilots wings, copy of the official MID citation, London gazette entry & other research papers.

A Superb & Rare RNAS 'Officer's' Casualty Grouping

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