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was at Uppingham School from 1892 to 1896, when he left
to go to Emmanuel College, Cambridge (created by Sir Walter
Mildmay of Apethorpe Hall). He was at the College for three
years before leaving to join the Northamptonshire Regiment.
He served with the 1st Battalion in India. There were no major
wars there at that time, although the usual skirmishes took place.
In 1908, whilst still in India, he obtained his flying certificate and
was by then a Captain. He returned to England in 1911.
In 1912 his mother bought The Manor House in Kings Cliffe and
from then on he spent a lot of his free time in the village.
In Jan 1913 he was a Captain in the 1st Northamptonshire
Regiment and received his aviators certificate at Brooklands
flying a Bristol bi-plane.
He went to France on 1st September 1914 with the first regiments
of the BEF and was wounded a month later, probably at the
battle of the Marne. The initial German attack had pushed the
French and British back within reach of Paris, but at this point
the Allies held the Germans and counter- attacked regaining
most of the ground they had lost. It would have been in this
push that David Powell would have suffered his injury.
The Stamford & Rutland News of 19th May 1915 reports:-
“Captain D W Powell of the Flying Corps, has recovered from his
wounds and returned to headquarters at the beginning of last week.”
At some point in the war, with his flying credentials, he became
the CO of the 16th Squadron RFC, and was later seconded
to the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. This was most
likely to have been in 1917 after the Battle of Oppy Wood, when
the 1st Berks were reduced to two officers and both of them
wounded.
David Powell received the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) in
1918. The citation reads:-
“ ... When the company commanders on the right of his Battalion were
wounded, he went up at once, under heavy machine gun fire, and
personally rushed the attack through to its objective. Later, when the
line was temporarily disorganised, he immediately went and, under
157
to go to Emmanuel College, Cambridge (created by Sir Walter
Mildmay of Apethorpe Hall). He was at the College for three
years before leaving to join the Northamptonshire Regiment.
He served with the 1st Battalion in India. There were no major
wars there at that time, although the usual skirmishes took place.
In 1908, whilst still in India, he obtained his flying certificate and
was by then a Captain. He returned to England in 1911.
In 1912 his mother bought The Manor House in Kings Cliffe and
from then on he spent a lot of his free time in the village.
In Jan 1913 he was a Captain in the 1st Northamptonshire
Regiment and received his aviators certificate at Brooklands
flying a Bristol bi-plane.
He went to France on 1st September 1914 with the first regiments
of the BEF and was wounded a month later, probably at the
battle of the Marne. The initial German attack had pushed the
French and British back within reach of Paris, but at this point
the Allies held the Germans and counter- attacked regaining
most of the ground they had lost. It would have been in this
push that David Powell would have suffered his injury.
The Stamford & Rutland News of 19th May 1915 reports:-
“Captain D W Powell of the Flying Corps, has recovered from his
wounds and returned to headquarters at the beginning of last week.”
At some point in the war, with his flying credentials, he became
the CO of the 16th Squadron RFC, and was later seconded
to the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. This was most
likely to have been in 1917 after the Battle of Oppy Wood, when
the 1st Berks were reduced to two officers and both of them
wounded.
David Powell received the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) in
1918. The citation reads:-
“ ... When the company commanders on the right of his Battalion were
wounded, he went up at once, under heavy machine gun fire, and
personally rushed the attack through to its objective. Later, when the
line was temporarily disorganised, he immediately went and, under
157
