Sergeant Leslie Powell

[Walt Powell]

I'm looking for any information available on SGT Powell. He appears in WoW (Cross Firecard) as the gunner for A.E. McKeever in a Bristol F2B fighter of 11 Squadron.

What little I know now is that his full name was Leslie Archibald Powell; though Osprey #45 says Leslie "K." Powell. He was the most frequent of several rear seat gunners to fly with LTC Andrew Edward McKeever....and appears to have been a rather good one....as they downed 3 planes on 7-7-17 and again on 8-5-17, with yet 4 more claims on 11-30-17. Shortly after this later claim, SGT Powell was awarded a DCM and McKeever a DSO. With Powell and others on board, McKeever's 31 victories made him the highest scoring Bristol fighter pilot of the war (per Osprey).

I'd like to know as much as I can about him and his career. Furthermore, could some of our British friends enlighten me: Is Powell a common surname in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Ireland)?

Thanks!
Walt Powell
Captain, USA/Retired

[Lucky Bryan]

Hi Walt,

With regard to the name Powell, I am unsure how common it may be, but I did attend school in the 50's with a friend called Ronnie Powell.

In addition on looking for the name I came across this:-


Definition: A contraction of the Welsh "Ap Howell," meaning "son of Howell." The given name Howell is an anglicized form of Hywel, meaning "eminent" in Welsh.

Surname Origin: Welsh

Alternate Surname Spellings: POWEL, POUEL, POWELLS, PAUWEL, PAUWELS, POWELS

Hope that helps matey.


Lucky.

[tuladin]

He has an entry at The Aerodrome:

http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/powell2.php

Also click on the link at the bottom of that page for his pilot, Andrew McKeever.

[Attila57]

Look at this Wikipedia article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Powell