Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Sergeant

Unit:

No. 9 Combined Operations Pilotage Party, Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP), Combined Operations Headquarters, War Office, British Government

Awarded on:

November 15th, 1945

Citation:
"Sergeant Powell has acted as bodyguard on numerous occasions for Officers carrying out reconnaissances on shore behind the enemy lines. He has always acted with great steadiness in the face of the enemy. On one occasion when the craft in which he was taking passage was fired on by a light Machine Gun, Sergeant Powell returned the fire with his Bren gun with such effect that the enemy's fire immeditely became erratic and sustained only one hit.

Remarks of administrative authority:
I fully concur. Without this N.C.O'.'s support the officers of COPP could not have achieved the good results they did"

Rank:

Warrant Officer 1st Class

Unit:

Second Divisional Engineers

Awarded on:

January 1st, 1964

Recommendation (dated 7 July 1964):
"Warrant Officer Class I. J. Powell joined the Army in July 1940 as a regular soldier after 3 years service as a boy. During the latter of the war he was employed in Combined Operations as a canoeist and under-water swimmer and was awarded the Military Medal. After the war he went to the Airborne Forces becoming a Regimental Sergeant Major in 1954. He joined Second Divisional Engineers as Regimental Sergeant Major in early 1961.

He is now in his tenth year as a Regimental Sergeant Major and has been notified that he will be granted a commission as regular Quarter-master in the Royal Engineers in 1964.

Second Divisional Engineers are not concentrated in one barracks and the field squadrons live with their brigades. Early in 1962 it was decided to centralize certain trade training by setting up a Divisional Engineers Training Centre to train Combat Engineers up to Class II, Signalers up to Class II and Drivers, and also to run Cadres for junior non-commissioned officers. As no officers were available Warrant Officer Class I Powell was ordered to organize and run the Training Centre with a staff of three Warrant Officers Class II.

This task is one normally given to a Captain or Major, and was made more difficult because the Training Centre had to be located with the Field Park Squadrons 40 miles away from the CRE and his Staff. However, Warrant Officer Class I Powell was not in any way daunted by it. Using his considerable organising ability and powers of leadership and working abnormally long hours he has made the Training Centre an outstanding success.

In addition he has attended the majority of squadron and divisional engineer exercises where his experience and sound advice have been of untold value to squadron commanders, junior officers, warrant officers and senior non-commissioned officers alike. In doing this he has freely given up a great deal of his own time.

Warrant Officer Class I Powell has been an outstanding example of what a first-class Regimental Sergeant Major should be. By his efforts he has played a major part in raising the efficiency of the Second Divisional Engineers to its present high standard."

Remarks of the Divisional Commander (dated 22 July 1963):

"One of the most able Warrant Officers in the Army. His all-round contribution to his unit has been astonishing. Highly recommended."