1st Royal West Kent Regt - 21/3/1915

[Paul Nixon]

I am researching an officer, Lieutenant Lionel Henry Yorke Pownall of the 1st RWK, who was, according to the Illustrated London News, "killed by a sniper in the trenches near Ypres" on 21st March 1915.

Does anybody have a transcript of the 1st RWK / 13th Brigade / 5th Division war diaries or other contemporary accounts for this period which would throw further light on the battalion at this stage?

Thanks in advance

Paul

[Hambo]

Paul

I have checked "The Bond of Sacrifice" which has all his details education etc but irritatingly finishes with " He was killed by a sniper in the trenches near Ypres"

The official history and the 5th Division history both remain silent for the last week of March which suggests a "quiet" period.

Sorry to be absolutely no use at all, but I do have some personal details of this officer which you may have already, but in case you don't, let me know

All the best Hambo

[Jonathan Saunders]

From Bttn history:

On the 16th [March] some trenches about 2 miles S. of Ypres were occupied. 3 men killed and 9 wounded between 16th and 18th. On the 20th the Bttn returned to the trenches. On 22nd the enemy bombed the position held by A Coy, destorying part of the trench and inflicting heavy casualties. On the 23rd the unit was again relieved having lost Lt POWNALL and 11 ORs killed an 15 wounded and 4 missing. The bombing of A Coy accounted for most of these losses.

I think the were in trenches around St Eloi.

Hope this helps.

[westkent78]

Jonathan beat me to it, but it certainly appears they were in the vicinity of St.Eloi, having moved up from Vlamertynghe to a position supporting an attack on some lost trenches on the 14th and then making the aforementioned march 2 miles south to the trenches where Lieut. Pownall fell.

Pownall had joined the battalion on 24th Sept. 1914. He rejoined on 16th Feb 1915, so presumably he was either wounded or on a course away from the battalion.

Regards,

Matthew

[Paul Nixon]

Hambo - thank you very much for checking and yes please, do post the details as they appear in Bond of Sacrifice.

Jonathan - it does help thank you. I have the Westlake volumes (British Bns 1914 and 1915) but the details of the Bn's movements are necessarily sketchy so this helps a lot.

Matthew - thank you too. You are right, he was wounded in late October when he was hit on the elbow by a shell fragment. I have this officer's partial service history but the date of his re-joining the battalion after recuperation in England was not included in it.

Thank you all very much - most helpful.

Paul

[Paul Nixon]

And just to put a face to the name, this is Lieutenant Lionel Henry Yorke Pownall. He was nineteen when KiA. The family had bases in Chailey, Sussex and Petersfield, Hampshire and was very well-to-do

Image.bmp

[Jonathan Saunders]

Paul - thanbks for posting the photo as its always nice to have a face to the name. Do you have a particular interest in the West Kents or just this officer?

[Paul Nixon]

Jonathan

He's one of around 350 men with Chailey connections that I'm researching. I only "acquired" his photo the other day thanks to the efforts of another forum member who found him in The Illustrated London News. The entire project is a bit like painting the Forth Bridge albeit a good deal more enjoyable I'm sure.

Paul

[Hambo]

Paul

As requested the following is the entry in "Bond of Sacrifice"

Third son of the late Henry Harrison Pownall of Adnes Chailey Sussex and of Mrs Pownall of Dunannie Petersfield.

Born at Reigate Surrey on the 23rd of August 1895. Educated at Rottingdean School, Clifton College and at the R.M.C.Sandhurst.

At Clifton he was in the XI and at Sandhurst in the 2nd XI.

He was gazetted to the Royal West Kent Regiment in August 1914 and was wounded in the fighting at Neuve Chapelle on the 26th of October 1914.

He was killed by a sniper on the 21st of March 1915 in the trenches near Ypres.

The same photograph you attached to your recent post appears in the book

Hope this adds to your fund of knowledge about this officer

All the best Hambo

[Guest goughy19]

Paul,

regarding your enquiry.

according to the book Royal West Kent Regiment 1914 - 1919 by Capt C T Atkinson written in 1924 the 1st Battalion were on the left of 83 Brigade line in Feb /March to the S E of Zillebeke on the northern side of the Ypres to Comines rail line and the area around the hamlet of Zwarteleen.

they were also on occasion in part of the line where the INTERNATIONAL trench was.

according to this book 2nd Lieut. Pownall was killed in February along with a Sgt Verral.

hope this assists

Dave Gough

[Paul Nixon]

Hambo and Dave

Thank you both very much for the additional details you have provided about Pownall and the RWK. The school information may be quite useful as it's possible that he also appears on a relevant roll of honour for Rottingdean or Clifton (if they were published).

It's very helpful of you both. Based where I am, regular visits to the National Archive and access to much original source material are sadly out of the question.

Best wishes

Paul