There are 27 people with the surname Powis or Powys recorded on the CWGC website, as killed in WW2. 26 were killed during the war, two in accidents after V.J Day.
The list differs a lot from the WW1 record I did some years ago. The records are usually more detailed and include civilian war dead.
I have been able to use the 1939 Register on Powis Pages to detail most of the casualties. Paradoxically in a few cases it is more difficult to identify individuals, unless parents or spouses are mentioned on CWGC records. The 1939 Register occasionally makes it difficult to find the right individual when others have the same Christian name and approximate Date of Birth.
In WW1 we could usually identify an individual because of census records. Most appeared on the 1911 and 1901 Census. Parents on earlier census records. In some cases, going back to the 1821 Wellington Census. We could often identify casualties from different parts of the country as cousins.
We have a number of men from the (now) Commonwealth, who do not appear on UK census records. However, both Australia and Canada have online Virtual Memorials so on occasion we find more detail, than in UK records.
The most significant difference is the cause of death. Over half the casualties were the result of bombing or death in an aeroplane.
We have seven civilians. Three men, two women and two children. Of these Six died in the London Blitz between 13 October 1940 and 17 April 1941. The other civilian was a member of the Merchant Navy killed after the war on a salvage operation on a German ship sink by the RAF.
Seven RAF men were killed. Two in training accidents, five shot down. Three were Australian, three British and one Canadian.
The youngest casualty was Allan Powis ten months old, the oldest Charles Edwin Powis 57.
It is difficult to quantify tragedy but for their mother Frances Powis the loss of her sons RAF Sergeant Trevelyn Ivan Powis on 26 November 1944 and Private John Powis killed on 16 April 1945 three weeks before V.E Day perhaps signifies it.
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1/. Able Seaman Alfred Edwin Powis. Died 15 March 1942. Age 23
Royal Navy. HMS Vortigern
Son of Brinley and Emma Powis and Husband of Susannah Powis, they lived in Penge Urban District.
He was a member of the crew of HMS Vortigern a destroyer sunk by a German torpedo boat, S10, off the coast near Cromer.
110 members of the crew were missing only 14 were rescued.
He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Powis Pages 1939-148 for probable parents.
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2/. Private Alfred Henry Powis 4926254. Died 24 September 1944 Age 28.
2nd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment. South Wales Borderers.
Son of Alfred and Louise Powis of Islington. Husband of Hilda V Powis. Alfred Powis is a common name so I cannot be sure I have the right one. On the 1939 Register seems to be Alfred Powis born 15 March 1916 in Shoreditch, London. He appears alone, there are no family members on the record.
It seems he was killed in action near Voorhilde, Holland, and later reburied.
Valkenswald War Cemetery, Holland. His inscription reads:" Not Gone From Memory Nor Love But Gone To Dwell With God Above, Sadly Missed".
Powis Pages 1939-39
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3-4/. Allan and Derek Powis.
Derrick (Derek) Powis Died 6 November 1940. Age 2.
Civilian War Dead.
Born 11 January 1938 Son of George and Lillian Powis .
81 Matthais Rd Stoke Newington. Killed at 81 Matthais Rd.
Allan Powis Died 6 November 1940. Age 10 months.
Civilian War Dead.
Son of George and Lillian Powis. George Powis was a greengrocer, working in his father's shop.
81 Matthais Rd Stoke Newington. Killed at 81 Matthais Rd.
These are brothers the youngest Powis' to be killed in WW2.
Both children are commemorated on the Stoke Newington Metropolitan Borough Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour.
Powis Pages 1939-230
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5/. Charles Edwin Powis. Died 17 April 1941 age 57. Civilian War Dead.
50 Forthbridge Rd, Battersea. He was killed at the Southern Railway goods yard.
Charles is a common name in London in about 1883 when we estimate he was born.
According to the GWGC record Charles Edwin Powis, died aged 57.
He first appears in the FBMD website as born in the Dec quarter 1883, in St Saviour, London. He then appears in the 1891, 1901 and 1911 Census.
In 1911 he is described as a railway fireman born in Wandsworth, living with his mother Mary and brother Herbert. In 1901 he is a border living in Clapham, and works on the railway though the occupation is not clear on the record. In 1891 he was a scholar living with his father Edward, described as born about 1852 in Gloucestershire. His mother Mary described as born about 1854 in Lambeth London. The family can then be traced back to 1841 in Avening Gloucestershire.
I have not been able to find a definite match in the 1939 register. There is a Charles Powis born 17 April 1881, Tottenham M.B, a newspaper packer married to Ellen aged 57.
See Powis Pages Per ID 1609.
Another Charles Powis born 4 March 1882 in Stoke Newington a packer stationary married to Emily aged 56.
See Powis Pages Per ID 1509.
Charles Edwin Powis is commemorated on the Battersea Municipal Borough. Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour.
Powis Pages 1939-164
+ Per ID 1509 Or 1939-163
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6/. Sargent Frank Powis Died 11 August 1943. Age 33.
RAF VR. 30 Operational Training Unit.
Son of Thomas and Lucy Powis of Nelson Lancashire. Husband of Elizabeth Powis, of Nelson Lancashire.
Born 19 November 1908 in 1931 he was recorded as a baker and confectioner.
He was in an operational training unit, awaiting allocation to a bomber crew. 30 O.T.U flew Wellington bombers from Hixon near Stafford.
Stafford Cemetery.
His inscription reads: "The Lost To Sight To Memory Dear"
Powis Pages 1939-369
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7/. Private Frederick Powis 5057982 Died 7 August 1944 age 23
East Yorkshire Regiment.
He was the son of Richard and Mary Powis, of Burslem Stoke on Trent.
Born 2 June 1921, in 1939 he was a bricklayer.
He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Bayeux Memorial, Normandy, France.
Powis Pages 1939-123
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8/. Sergeant George Owen Powis 627228. Died 1 October 1940 age 20
311 Czech Squadron RAF.
Son of George and Lily Bemrose Powis.
He was born in 1920 in Burton on Trent. In 1939 he was described as working as a footman, in Cheltenham.
We know quite a lot about what happened. George was one of a number of RAF men assigned to the 311 Czech bomber squadron to instruct then on RAF procedures, ready for operations. He was a wireless operator. During a training flight from East Wrentham in Avro Anson (R9649) in the afternoon of 1 October 1940, a Very (signal flare) pistol was accidentally discharged in the aeroplane. The aircraft caught fire. George Powis and four Czech airmen were killed, two parachuted to safety. The plane crashed at Elton near Peterborough. The four Czech airmen are buried at Peterborough.
Derby (Nottingham Road) Cemetery.
Powis Pages 1939-384
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9/. Sergeant Glenville Powis 650303. Died 30 May 1943.
RAF 460 Squadron (RAAF)
Glenville was a member of an all Australian crew of a Lancaster bomber D759 operating from RAF Breighton, Lincolnshire. He was a Flight Engineer. On their first operation in the bombing of the Ruhr, they were shot down near Dusseldorf. Probably at Remscheldorf -Luttring-Hausen. They were first buried at Dusseldorf North Cemetery. They were re buried together on 8 October 1946 at:
Reichwald Forest War Cemetery (Cleve) Germany.
Australian he does not appear on the 1939 Register.
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10/. Trooper Harvey William Powis. Died 6 June 1944 age 20.
The Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps. Son of Harvey and Gertrude Powis of Ladywood Birmingham.
Bayeux War Cemetery. Born 26 March 1926 in 1939 Harvey was a riveter.
His mother Gertrude kept a fish and chip ship.
It seems he was killed on D-Day near Ver-sur Mer, Normandy.
Bayeux War Cemetery, Normandy, France.
His inscription reads. "Time Changes Many Things But Never The Memory Of You. Love Mom, Jessie and Bill".
Powis Pages 1939-397
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11/. Hilda Doris Powis. Died 13 October 1940 aged 27 Civilian War Dead.
Stoke Newington. Born 14 July 1913.
She lived at 38 Levers Rd, Stoke Newington with her husband Sidney Powis. They married in early 1940.
She is commemorated on the Stoke Newington Metropolitan Borough Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour.
Powis Pages 1939-427
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12/. Sergeant Hugh Arthur Powys-Jones. 581411. Died 4 September 1940 Age 22.
15 Squadron RAF.
Son of Hubert Arthur and Hester Powys-Jones, of Blackheath, London.
Hugh Powys-Jones was the only Powys to die in the Battle of Britain. He served in 15 Squadron flying the outdated Bristol Blenheim bomber, as an Observer. The Squadron was based at Wyton. It seems he was engaged in bombing German invasion barges off the coast of northern France.
Wyton (St Margaret and All saints churchyard) Huntingdon.
Powis Pages 1939-672 for family.
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13/. Private John Powis. 4035659. Died 16 April 1945, aged 26.
1st Infantry Battalion. Herefordshire Regiment. Kings Shropshire Light Infantry.
Because there are few details it is not possible to be sure where John was born, military records say Shropshire. The best match with the age is John Powis born Leominster Herefordshire, 27 March 1923. He was the brother of 24/. Sergeant Trevelyan Ivan Powis who died 26 November 1944, Age 19.
The last Powis to die in the war. He was killed in action and buried near the Dutch border in Germany, and was re buried in 1946.
(Soltau) Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.
Powis Pages 1939-359
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14/. Private Kenneth Powis 14779940. Died 30 March 1946. Age 20.
2nd Battalion the Seaforth Highlanders.
Son of Alfred Archer and Kathleen Powis of Frazley Staffordshire. Born 30 January 1926, in 1939 he was recorded as a schoolboy in Frazley.
Military records show he served in combat; he was recorded as wounded in 18 February 1945. Though he survived the war he died as a member of the occupation forces, in an accident.
Celle War Cemetery Germany. His inscription reads "Lead Kindly Light"
Powis Pages 1939-41
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15/. Pilot Officer Leslie William Powis 182853 Died 12 August 1944. Age 23.
76 Squadron RAF.
Son of Ernest William and Nina Powis of Finchley Middlesex.
76 Squadron were based at Holme on Spalding Moor in August 1944, flying Halifax bombers. Leslie Powis took off that night to raid Russelheim. The bomber was shot down near Quint, Germany all the crew were killed.
He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Runnemede Memorial.
Powis Pages 1939-336 This shows family but not Leslie.
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16-17/. Mabel and Reginald Powis.
Mabel Winifred Powis. Died 6 November 1940. Age 41.
Civilian War Dead.
Born 6 December 1899. Wife of Reginald Cecil Powis. 65 Wessex Buildings, Wedmore Road Islington. Died 22 Radford house.
Reginald Cecil Powis. Died 6 November 1940. Age 41.
Civilian War Dead.
Husband of Mabel Winifred Powis. 65 Wessex Buildings, Wedmore Road Islington. Died 22 Radford house. Born 20 May 1900. In 1939 Reginald was a cinema operator.
A married couple both are commemorated on the Islington Metropolitan Borough Civilian War Dead, Roll of Honour.
Powis Pages 1939-509
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18/. Civilian Second Engineer Officer Merchant Navy Ralph Powis. Died 22 February 1946, aged 48.
Son of John and Ellen Powis of Hall Green Birmingham. Husband of Joan Powis. Ralph was born 1 February 1898, and in 1939 lived in Stratford on Avon. He probably died in a salvage operation on the SS Ovatella. The ship was built in Denmark for BP. Before completion it was taken over by the German Navy and renamed MV Weissenburg. It was sunk by the RAF on 23 November 1943. The wreck reverted to BP at the end of the war. His funeral must have been in Birmingham, followed by cremation.
He is commemorated at Birmingham Municipal Crematorium.
Powis Pages 1939-458
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19/. Flight Sergeant Ralph Edwin Powis R/96500. Died 27 April 1943 Age 20.
Wireless operator/ air gunner.
178 Squadron RCAF.
Son of William John Bently Powis and Ruth Emily Powis of Ottawa Ontario Canada.
178 Squadron flew American Liberator bombers and operated in the Mediterranean In April 1943 it was based in Ghemines, Libya. It seems Edwin Powis and a Canadian comrade T E Vavalle died in a POW camp and were re buried in 1944.
Bari War Cemetery Italy.
As a Canadian he does not appear on the 1939 Register.
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20/. Gunner Robert Alexander Powis VX53436. Died 12 September 1944. Age 24.
4th Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Australian Artillery.
Son of David Robert and Ada Mary Powis.
He was a POW of the Japanese and worked on the Burma- Thailand Railway. On 4 September 1944, 1318 prisoners were loaded on the Japanese ship the Rakuyo Maru, most of them confined in the hold, in appalling conditions with little food or water. It was part of a convoy of 13 ships sailing from Singapore to Japan. On 12 September the convoy was attacked by two American submarines, unaware of the POW's. The US Growler and US Sealion. Three ships were sunk, the Rakuyo Maru was torpedoed by the US Sealion, but it remained afloat for most of the day. The Japanese crew took all the lifeboats, most of the POWs got out of the hold and jumped in the oil covered sea. Three more American submarines rescued some men, over the next few days, but out of the 1318 POW's, 1159 died. The Australian War memorial website has some harrowing pictures of half-starved men being rescued by American Submarines after several days in the water.
Robert Powis has no known grave and is commemorated at the Labuan Memorial, Malaysia.
As an Australian he does not appear in the UK 1939 Register.
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21/. Corporal Ronald Brinley Powis. 5437881. Died 7 May 1943. Age 23 (22 on grave records).
2nd Battalion Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry.
He was born 11 March 1920 in Wolverhampton, the son of William and Lilian Powis. In 1939 he was an apprentice bricklayer.
He was killed in the last days of the Tunisian campaign, probably near Tunis. The Germans surrendered less than a week later on 13 May 1943.
Massicault War Cemetery Tunisia.
Powis Pages 1939-494
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22/. Private Samuel Powis 4203168 Died 16 May 1942, aged 27.
1st Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment, attached to the 17th Indian Division.
He was the son of Daniel and Kathleen Powis of Shirehampton, Bristol. Born 26 November 1914, in 1939 he lived in Stepney in London with his parents, and is recorded as working as a Flock Grinder.
He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Rangoon Memorial, Myanmar.
Powis Pages 1939-216
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23/. Rifleman Stanley Herbert Powis 6969553. Died 22 July 1942 Age 23.
7th Battalion the Rifle Brigade. (1st Battalion the London Rifle Brigade).
Son of Emily Rose Powis of Dalston, London. I have not been able to find Stanley or Emily Rose Powis in the 1939 Register, though an Emily R Powis is recorded as died in Hackney, London in 1966.
Stanley has no known grave and is commemorated at the Alamein Memorial, Egypt.
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24/. Sergeant Trevelyan Ivan Powis 1813257. Died 26 November 1944, Age 19.
502 Squadron RAF VR. He was born 1925 in Swansea.
Son of Frederick John and Frances Annie Powis of Leominster Herefordshire. He was the brother of 13/. Private John Powis. Died 16 April 1945, aged 26.
In November 1944 502 Squadron was part of RAF Coastal Command, its main base was RAF Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, but it had a detachment at RAF Wick, Caithness. At the time it was operating Halifax bombers and attacking German shipping off the coast of Norway. His mother Frances Anne appears in the 1939 Register as an occasional waitress, in Leominster, but not Leslie.
He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Runnemede Memorial.
Powis Pages 1939-359. Family details but not Trevelyan.
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25/. Petty Officer Stoker William Arthur Powis P/KX/78723.Died 13 August 1942 aged 35.
Royal Navy. HMS Manchester.
He was the husband of Edith Powis and lived in 1939 at Leigh in Lancashire. Born 13 February 1907, in 1939 he was registered as an HGV driver.
On the night of 13/14 August 1942 HMS Manchester was attacked by two Italian torpedo boats, off the coast of Tunisia. 10 crew members were killed. Because of the damage the Captain decided to scuttle the ship. Most of the crew became POW's one was drowned during the process of abandoning ship. The Captain was later court martialled, because of the decision to scuttle.
He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Powis Pages 1939-146
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26/. Sergeant William Henry Powis 419671. Died 3 October 1943, Age 30.
10 Squadron RAAF.
Son of William Henry and Alice Elizabeth Powis of Box Hill, Victoria, Australia.
10 Squadron RAAF operated Sunderland flying boats, as part of the RAF Costal Command from Oban in Scotland or Mount Batton near Plymouth. On 3 October 1943 a Sunderland set out from Mount Batten on an anti-submarine patrol over the Bay of Biscay. There was a brief radio message about engine trouble, but nothing more was heard. It is believed the aeroplane crashed near the Scilly Isles.
William Henry Powis has no known grave and is commemorated at the Runnemede Memorial.
As an Australian he does not appear on the 1939 Register.
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27/. Serjeant William Thomas Powis 5046981. Died 28 February 1944 age 27.
2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment.
There are no details on the CWGC site as to any relatives of William. On Powis Pages William is a common name, the nearest date to the age I could find was William Powis born 18 July 1919 in Brierley Hill, son of Alfred and Gertrude Powis. In 1939 he was recorded as a Tele Worker Brickwork.
Anzio Beach Head War Cemetery, Italy.
Powis Pages 1939-33 Probable identification.
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