Frank Powell

Captain Frank Powell, Royal Navy (10 August, 1876 – 9 August, 1930) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Life & Career

Born in London, Frank Powell gained eight months time on passing out of Britannia in July of 1892.

Powell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1898.

Powell was appointed as first lieutenant in recommended for promotion in 1904 for his bravery in support of Captain Gaunt's landing in Durbo in Swaziland and was mentioned in despatches for his services in the Somaliland Expedition and received the Africa General Service Medal.

Powell was in command of the destroyer Gala when she was cut in two and sank in April, 1908.

Powell was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1910.

As a Commander, he was appointed in command of the Vigilant, serving with the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla, in May, 1912.

In July, 1912, he was faulted for having rendered the charts in Bullfinch useless by failing to completely apply a correction.

On 1 November, 1913, Powell was appointed to H.M.S. Vivid, additional, and on the 11th he was placed in charge of the Detention Barracks.

Great War

On 22 August, Powell was moved from Detention Barrack command in Devonport for duty at a Naval Camp in Portsmouth, but on 1 October, he was moved back to his previous command.

On 16 January, 1915, Powell was appointed in command of Devonport's Boys' Training Establishment. On 19 April, he was superseded and, in May, 1915 was appointed in command of the decoy vessel Q2. He led her in action against an enemy submarine on 8 December, 1916 when he had to endure almost two and half hours of being stalked by his invisible adversary.

On 1 May, 1917, Q2 was renamed Intaba, but Powell left when she paid off on 21 May. The following day he was appointed in command of the Q-ship Ravenstone (renamed Donlevon on that same date). He remained with her until being sent to President for special service on 17 October, 1917.

Promoted to Captain on 31 December 1917, Powell was appointed in command of the first class protected cruiser Endymion in late January, 1918. He was in command when she was torpedoed by the German submarine UC 37 while anchored at Stavros on 30 August, 1918. Powell was faulted for having not warning all ships in the anchorage of the presence of an enemy submarine, not having told his superior office that he was landing, and for allowing the duty monitor to also go ashore.

Post-War

Powell was appointed in command of the armoured cruiser Leviathan on 5 December, 1918 and made British Senior Naval Officer, Italy and given responsibility for the mobile craft which kept the Otranto Barrage operational.

He was appointed in command of the flotilla leader Saumarez on 1 October, 1919.

Powell was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 14 July, 1922.

See Also

• Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Alan C. Bruce	Captain of H.M.S. Vulture 13 Oct, 1905 – 12 Jan, 1906	Succeeded by Lionel J. G. Anderson
Preceded by Lionel J. G. Anderson	Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant 12 Jan, 1906 – 19 Aug, 1907	Succeeded by George B. Hartford
Preceded by Charles P. R. Coode	Captain of H.M.S. Gala 19 Aug, 1907 – 27 Apr, 1908	Succeeded by Vessel Lost
Preceded by John M. D. E. Warren	Captain of H.M.S. Itchen 10 Jan, 1911 – 11 Apr, 1911	Succeeded by Sydney Hopkins
Preceded by Henry V. Hudson	Captain of H.M.S. Bullfinch 11 Apr, 1911 – 1912	Succeeded by Joseph M. Kenworthy
Preceded by Henry C. Rawlings	Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant May, 1912 – 15 Aug, 1913	Succeeded by Malcolm L. Goldsmith
Preceded by Malcolm L. Goldsmith	Captain of H.M.S. Earnest 15 Aug, 1913 – 1 Nov, 1913	Succeeded by Ralph M. Hall
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Syringa 23 Oct, 1917 – 7 Jan, 1918	Succeeded by Montague R. Bernard
Preceded by Cecil M. Staveley	Captain of H.M.S. Endymion 25 Jan, 1918 – after 30 Aug, 1918	Succeeded by Henry G. H. Adams
Preceded by Bertram S. Evans	Captain of H.M.S. Leviathan 5 Dec, 1918 – 21 Apr, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Patrick E. Parker	Captain of H.M.S. Faulknor 21 Apr, 1919 – 1 Oct, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Lewis G. E. Crabbe	Captain of H.M.S. Saumarez 1 Oct, 1919 – 15 Apr, 1921	Succeeded by Henry G. L. Oliphant
Preceded by Cecil M. Staveley	Captain of H.M.S. Conqueror 5 May, 1921 – c. 1 Jun, 1921	Succeeded by Robert C. Hamilton
Preceded by Alan J. Mackenzie-Grieve	Captain of H.M.S. Vindictive c. 1 Jun, 1921 – 15 Jun, 1921	Succeeded by Reginald J. N. Watson
Preceded by George B. Powell	Captain of H.M.S. Monarch 12 Jul, 1921 – 17 Aug, 1921	Succeeded by Reginald J. N. Watson
Preceded by Samuel M. G. Gravener	Captain of H.M.S. Diligence 17 Aug, 1921 – c. Sep, 1921[Inference]	Succeeded by Wilbraham T. R. Ford
Preceded by Gilbert C. W. Crispin	Captain of H.M.S. Blenheim c. late Aug, 1921 – c. mid Oct, 1921	Succeeded by Lawrence L. Dundas