SAPPER JOHN ALFRED POWELL
7595 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
John Alfred Powell was born in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, England about 1860. He was apprenticed for five years in England as a carpenter and came to Australia. He was married and his wife’s name was Ann.
The railway carpenter applied at Cloncurry, Queensland for active service abroad and travelled to enlist at the Town Hall in Charters Towers, Queensland on March 2, 1917. Passing the medical examination personal particulars taken show he was 156cms (5ft 1¼ins), weighed 50.9kgs (112lbs) with a chest expansion of 82-86cms (32-34ins). Deleting a few birthdays his age was given as forty-three years. It was noted he required dental treatment and his vision was good and when declared ‘fit for active service’ the recruiting officer accepted his application.
Attestation forms were completed giving further information of a fresh complexion with grey eyes and dark brown hair that was turning grey. Distinctive marks were three vaccination scars on his left arm. Church of England was his religious faith. Next-of-kin was his wife Mrs Ann Powell care of Post Office, Cairns, North Queensland.
Acknowledgement to the volunteers was reported in
Basic training commenced as a Private at Enoggera camp, Brisbane with the 20th Reinforcement to the 26th Battalion from March 9 until April 1 when four days Home Leave was taken. On April 17 he entered the 2nd Engineers Depot at Moore Park in Sydney, NSW. A transfer to the Miners Training camp at Seymour, Victoria followed on June 6 and was attached to train with ‘B’ Coy until July 15, 1917 as a member of the April, 1917 Reinforcement to the Tunnelling Companies. His rank was Sapper with the Regimental number 7525. In preparation for departure it was noted that his Will had been lodged with his wife Mrs Ann Powell, Post Office, Cairns, N.Q.
The April Reinforcements consisted of 168 members who embarked on the troopship HMAT A68 Anchises on August 8, 1917 from Sydney, NSW. Colds and influenza were prevalent at the commencement of the voyage. Crossing the Pacific Ocean the vessel arrived at Colon, Panama on September 2, 1917 departing six days later. Halifax, Nova Scotia was reached on the 18th and after three days in port departed on September 21, 1917. The final journey to England was completed after a 55 day voyage when they docked at Liverpool on October 2, 1917. The troops were detrained to Tidworth. The following day they arrived at No. 1 and 3 Details Camps at Parkhouse for further training for the front.
On November 14, 1917 the Reinforcements proceeded to France marching into the Aust. General Base Depot at Rouelles the next day.
Sapper Powell was assigned on November 19 to the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion which was an advanced section of the Base Depot that organised works near the lines and through duties, usually of ten days duration, would accustom the reinforcements to war conditions before being assigned to a company in the field.
On January 12, 1918 he went sick from the Aust Corps Depot to the 2nd Aust Casualty Clearing Station with Gastritis and conveyed on A.T.32 to the 8th Stationary Hospital at Wimereux. He was transferred to England on the hospital ship Jan Breydal and entered the following day Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, in Whalley, Lancashire diagnosed with gastric enteritis (Infection of Stomach). His details for the period in hospital stated the following:
Complains of cough and pains in joints of hands. Heart action weak, no murmurs. P.E. of abdomen negative.
After treatment of eleven days was transferred to the 1st Aust Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, where he went before a Medical Board. His Statement of Case reads:
Disability:(1) Rheumatism (2) Old Age
Date of disability:23 December, 1917
Place of disability:Armentieres
Essential facts:Complained of pain in arms and legs. Was evacuated to England. Is 50 years of age
Aggravated by:Service and Climate during Active Service
Present condition:Swollen hands and left knee. Heart AB nipple line, sounds show loss of tone, mitral murmur at apex
Caused byField service and duty
Recommendation:Disability class Ciii
Discharge to Australia 1/2/18
Finding:Permanently unfit for general service and home service 23/2/18
After five days at Harefield he was discharged on furlough on February 4, 1918 and to report to the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth on February 18, 1918.
Base Records advised his wife on February 22, 1918 that her husband had been admitted to the above hospital suffering from Gastro-enteritis (mild).
His name appeared in the Casualty List printed in:
He was conveyed by train from Weymouth camp on March 12, 1918 for Plymouth to board the vessel H.T. Kenilworth Castle which embarked the same day for Australia. The voyage terminated at Durban, South Africa and passengers were transhipped to the H.T. Field Marshall re-embarking on April 25, 1918.
Base Records advised Mrs A. Powell on April 7, 1918 that her husband was on his way home. The ship docked in Melbourne, Vic (3rd Military District) on May 22, 1918 and he left for Brisbane (1st M.D.) soon after.
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On May 24, 1918 he entered No. 6 Aust General Hospital at Kangaroo Point, Brisbane for treatment of Rheumatism and old age. Notes on his case state there was ‘some colic in abdomen and pains in elbow.’ He was discharged from hospital on May 30, 1918. His condition the Board found was old age – injury to left arm – rheumatism – pain ? of stomach – pain in finger and hand. Board recommended discharge. Incapacity ½ % and was sent to the Staff Officer for Invalid and Returned Soldiers to await discharge.
Military Discharge was issued in Brisbane (1st M.D.) on June 26, 1918 due to rheumatism and old age.
A telegram was sent from Brisbane to Base Records on October 22, 1922 requesting a Statement of Service and a copy was forwarded to the Repatriation Commission in Brisbane later that month.
Sapper 7525 John Alfred Powell, 3rd Tunnelling Company was issued with the British War Medal (31311) and the Victory Medal (29591) for serving his country.
John Alfred Powell died in Queensland on December 29, 1925.
© Donna Baldey 2011/2018