Hubert (Hugh) Maurice John Powell
Memorial: Thornbury - St Mary's Church
Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Flight Sergeant
Parents: Hubert George and Charlotte Newton Powell
Home address: Home Address: Sibland House, Thornbury, Bristol. Lived: Edgemount, Rack Hill, Stroud
Pre-war occupation: School Master
Date of birth: 22/08/1918
Date of death: 13/06/1942
Buried/Commemorated at: No known burial site but commemorated on Alamein Memorial Egypt, St Mary's church and Grammar school Memorials, Thornbury and Saltley College Memorial
Age: 23
Further information:
Hugh was the son of a grocer and fish shop owner and his first school was in Ilfracombe. He transferred to the Council Upper School in Thornbury in 1927 then gained a scholarship for Thornbury Grammar School in 1930. He gained his First School Certificate in 1935 then attended Saltley College for Teacher Training in Birmingham for 3 years. In 1939 he was teaching at Chalford Hill Council School near Stroud and he enlisted the following year.
Hugh's Squadron, the 14th was based in Egypt and flying Blenheim bombers over the Mediterranean. On the 13th June 1942, Hugh was in one of two aircraft sent out on a Night Intruder Operation training exercise to a pre-arranged point. Contact with both planes was lost and Hugh and the other members of the crews were reported missing. The status was later changed to presumed killed.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
Thornbury Roots - http://www.thornburyroots.co.uk/war/forcesww2/#powell