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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: martinpowell on Saturday 10 September 16 00:29 BST (UK)
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In Coventry central post office there used to be a plaque on the wall dedicated to staff that fell in WW1 and WW2. The plaque has since moved to another office, but i remember being told that my great grandfather Egbert Powell was listed on it as he used to be a postman and died in WW1.
I have never been able to confirm that Egbert worked as a postman but i assume there must be a record or document held somewhere that authorised the memorial and those listed on it. Does anyone have any ideas on where to look for evidence. Some years ago i contacted the post office central records but they could find no records relating to my relation.
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Ancestry have "British Postal Service Appointment Books, 1737-1969" but I can't see him on that.
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Hi
A newspaper report says he was a watchman at the Rudge-Whitworth works. He was called to the colours on August 4th 1914 .
Tazzie
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The 1911 census shows his occupation as vanman for a house furnishing company.
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There are newspaper interviews that he gave in 1914 when he was sent home wounded after about 10 weeks service with a gunshot wound in his leg.
Tazzie
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Marking my place :)
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Thanks for the replies.
I knew he also worked at Rudge Whitworth as a watchman and have always assumed he had 2 jobs. My grandad had told me that Egbert was a postman and i remember seeing the memorial plaque (i did take a photo of it once but currently cannot find it). I remember it said E.Powell on the memorial so there is a possibility that my grandad got it wrong and it was another Powell, however if i can find info of this memorial in the Post office records then i may be able to conclude if E.Powell was in fact my great grandfather or another Powell.
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Presumably this is your g grandfather, from Commonwealth War Graves
Egbert Powell
Private
Service No:8940
Death:03/09/1916 aged:35
Regiment Royal Warwickshire Regiment 16th Bn.
Panel Reference: Pier and Face 9 A 9 B and 10 B. Memorial:THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Son of the late Joseph and Elizabeth Powell; husband of Jane Elizabeth Powell, of 13, Peel St., Coventry.
If you can find his service records that may tell you his job before he enlisted.
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He was called to the colours on August 4th 1914 .
This would indicate he was in the TF as a part-timer or a regular on reserve.
You could look for a pre war service record which would give his occupation at the time.
His WW1 service record seems to be amongst the burnt documents.
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I have found (after searching all day) my photo of the memorial plaque. I have detailed account of his war service in 1st Royal Warwicks and am about to start researching when he was transferred to the 2nd Warwicks. He died whilst in 16th Warwicks. I also have a copy of a letter he sent to a soldiers (Alf Burrows) mother whilst in 1st Warwicks to tell them of their sons death.
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Well done! What I would do now is get back to the post office central records and ask again and include the photo of the plaque.
It may be that they had an E Powell on their staff but he wasn't your great grandfather.
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A bit off topic but this where he was when he fell.
Ordered to take Falfemont farm 2/KOSB went over the top first only to be met by M.G. fire as soon as they left the trench.
The 15/Warwicks were ordered to try again with the same result.
6.35pm. it fell to the 16/Warwicks who also suffered huge casualties.
You can see from the map the enemy M.G. posts on the high ground, this allowed them to fire over their own trenches & into the men coming up the slope. They did this using a scissor action with co-ordinated fire.
They attacked again on the 4th. & this time succeeded but were heavily shelled.
The casualties by this time were well in excess of 2000.
This was of course part of the Battle of the Somme.
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I have sent an email to the Post Office History centre and have also sent one to the Coventry History Society hoping that the unvieling of the memorial (in 1920) was covered by a newspaper which may also list those on the memorial in greater detail.
Fingers crossed!