POWELL, Harold
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 November 1915, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1 |
| Born: | Wilpena, South Australia, 29 September 1886 |
| Home Town: | Malvern, Unley, South Australia |
| Schooling: | University of Adelaide (MBBS) |
| Occupation: | Medical Practitioner |
| Died: | Largs Bay, South Australia, 9 July 1963, aged 76 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Adelaide University of Adelaide WW1 Honour Roll, Hackney St Peter's College Honour Board, Unley St. Augustine's Church Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, Medical Officers, HMAT Kanowna, Sydney | |
| 22 Dec 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, Medical Officers, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Kanowna embarkation_ship_number: A61 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Oct 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 3 Oct 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1 | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1 |
Biography
Published Biography
Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1, C Verco, A Summers, T Swain & M Jelly. July 2014
Additional Biography
Early Life
Harold Powell was born on the 29th of September 1886, at Wilpena, SA, the son of Charles Bendin Powell and Mary Ann Ward. Harold’s father was working for Mr George Marchant at Wilpena from 1857 to 1892, rising from a boy about the station to the position of manager. The family then moved to a property at Coromandel Valley for 16 years before moving to Adelaide. Charles and Mary had ten children and Harold was the youngest.
Schooling
Harold attended St Peter’s College, Adelaide where he passed his Primary Examinations in 1902, Junior Examinations in 1903, three Senior Examination subjects in 1904 and six Senior Examination subjects in 1905. He was a member of the 1st XI cricket team in 1904 and 1905 playing in the intercollegiate matches against Prince Alfred College.
Adelaide University
Harold commenced studying medicine at Adelaide University in 1907 and graduated MB BS in 1913.
University Sport
Cricket
Harold was a member of the very first Adelaide University Cricket Club team and played from 1908/09 to 1912/13 seasons. It was first proposed in 1897 by Adelaide University graduate and lawyer William Magarey for an Adelaide University team to play in the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) A-Grade competition. However, it was not until the 1908/9 season that this eventually was approved by the SACA. The first team was largely composed of former Prince Alfred and St Peter's College old scholars. Former Prince Alfred College captain, Charles Dolling who had already played for Sturt, East Torrens and Adelaide A-Grade clubs and had been an established member of the State team since 1905/6 season, was selected as captain. He headed a very formidable line up of students much to the angst of the other clubs who had now lost many of their fine young players.
The AUCC team lined up to play Glenelg, the other new club in the competition, for their first match in 1908/09. The University Oval and wicket was not available at this time and they would have to play all their games away or on neutral grounds in that first season.
In the 1909/10 season, Harold became the Vice Captain of the B Grade team but played at least one A Grade game as he bowled 17 overs, 7 maidens, conceding 42 runs for one wicket in the A Grade competition that season.
In the 1910/11 season, Harold was in the B Grade team which lost the premiership to East Torrens by only 4 runs. It was only the second year that the AUCC had a side in the B Grade Competition.
Harold played the 1911/12 season in the B Grade and made a centaury in one match before Christmas and took five wickets for 20 against North Adelaide in December 1911 and five for 20 against PAC in March 1912. He topped the Adelaide University B Grade batting for the 1911/12 season.
Harold also played some matches in the A Grade in the 1912/13 season.
Lacrosse
Harold commenced his Lacrosse career with Adelaide University playing A Grade in the 1909 season. He represented University in the A Grade from 1909-1911. In 1911 the Harold was part of the team who lost the A Grade Premiership to Sturt. Harold played Intervarsity Lacrosse for Adelaide University in 1910 and 1911. In 1913 and 1914 He also played B Grade Lacrosse for East Torrens.
World War I
On the 8th of October 1914, Harold married Mary Elizabeth Milne, the daughter of Mr. John Milne, of Blackwood, at St John’s Church, Coromandel Valley.
Harold was appointed honorary assistant medical officer to the Queen’s Home, Rose Park in August 1915.
Harold enlisted in November 1915 and was in Egypt by 1916 so was not in Australia when his daughter, Kathleen Mary Powell, was born on the 3rd of April 1916.
Harold’s war service is well documented in the ‘Blood Sweat and Fears” biography above.
Harold’s brothers, Dr Henry Arthur Powell (born 1868) and Charles Baxter Powell (born 1875) and his sister Edith Mabel Powell (born 1884) also served in WWI. Tragically for the Powell family, Corporal Charles Baxter Powell died on active service on or about the 9th of August 1916.
In November 1917, Harold was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.
Harold returned to Australian in March 1918, and at a meeting of the Australian Comfort Fund, he ‘emphasised the continued need for socks, so the suffering from trench feet might be lessened’.
Post War Career & Family Life
On the 28th of February 1919, Harold and Mary’s second daughter Elizabeth Powell, was born. In September 1919, the family was living at Hall Street, Semaphore and Harold registered a 22.5 Ford. Harold was appointed surgeon-lieutenant in the Royal Australian Naval Brigade (South Australia) in May 1920.
By 1922, the family were living at 377 Military Road, Largs Bay and in August that year Harold registered a 23.8 Dodge. Harold included attending the horse races among his interests.
Harold’s mother (Mary) passed away in October 1930 aged 85. She was survived by her husband Charles, then aged 90. He passed away in September 1934 , aged 94.
Harold and Mary’s youngest daughter, Elizabeth Powell, became engaged to Mr. William James Morish, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. I. H.Morish, of Valmai Avenue, King's Park in February 1940. They married on the 29th of June 1940.
In May 1940, Miss Kathleen Mary Powell became engaged to Mr. Ernest Charles Phillipson, only son of Mrs. Ernest Phillipson, of Glenelg, and the late Mr. Phillipson. The couple were married in July 1940.
In 1940, Harold had the misfortune to be the driver in a car accident which resulted in the death of a 59-year-old woman.
Harold gave great service to the Port Adelaide district and from 1933 was the long serving medical officer of St. Margaret’s Convalescent Hospita1 on Military Rd at Semaphore. He was still associated with the Hospital in 1953. Harold had also been instrumental in establishing the Le Fevre Community Hospital in 1950.
Death
Mary Elizabeth Powell passed away on the 29th of March 1955. Dr Harold Powell passed away on the 9th of July 1963, aged 77, at Largs Bay, South Australia, and is buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide.
Author EE (Beth) Filmer
For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.
Submitted 15 June 2025 by Eleanor Filmer
Military Cross Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in continually working under heavy fire and the most adverse conditions, with complete disregard for his personal safety. As Medical Officer he is invaluable to his battalion, not only in regard to his assistance in keeping the men medically and physically fit, but by his example of coolness, courage and good humour, when under fire.
Submitted 2 June 2016 by Nathan Rohrlach
Biography contributed by Annette Summers
POWELL Harold MC MB BS
1886-1963
Harold Powell was born on 29th September 1886 at Wilpena near Hawker South Australia, son of Charles Bendin Powell and his wife Mary Ann nee Ward, and grandson of Charles Powell who had landed at Kangaroo Island South Australia in 1836. He was educated at St Peter’s College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide and graduated in 1913. He married Mary Elizabeth Milne on 8th October 1914.
Powell enlisted in Adelaide on the 8th November 1915 when he was 29 years, 5ft 10ins tall, weighing 10st 11lbs, of dark complexion with grey eyes and dark brown hair. He nominated his wife of 57 Cheltenham St, Malvern South Australia as next of kin. He was commissioned in December 1915 and posted to 4 FdAmb and sailed for Egypt on the Kanowna in December 1915. He joined the unit in Egypt in February 1916, and went with it to France in June. The 4 Div did not take part in the Battle of Fromelles, but moved to the Somme in August 1916 to relieve 1 Div. where their objective was to capture Mouquet Farm; after six successive night attacks they failed to take the Farm. Their losses were 4649 men, and the FdAmb was swamped with casualties. Powell was transferred to 50 Bn as RMO in December 1916. He remained with the Bn until October 1917 and was awarded the Military Cross in August 1917. The citation refers to ‘his complete disregard for his personal safety working under heavy fire and the most adverse conditions’, but it does not identify a particular action in which he showed his ‘conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty’. He suffered concussion from a shell burst in September 1917, and was evacuated to England. After recovering he was posted to 3 AGH at Abbeville with the temporary rank of major. He was admitted to hospital with pleurisy in January 1918, and again evacuated to England, where he was admitted to 3 LGH. He returned to Australia in March 1918 with his appointment terminated on the 26th October 1918. Harold Powell was issued with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Powell settled in Largs Bay, and in 1920 was commissioned as a surgeon lieutenant in the RAN Brigade (SA). He was appointed MO to St Margaret’s Convalescent Hospital in, Semaphore in 1933. Harold Powell died on 9th July 1963. Both of Harold Powell’s brothers and one of his sisters served in WW1. Henry Arthur Powell served at Gallipoli, and in France as CO of 2 AGH. Charles Baxter Powell served as a trooper in 9 LHR and was killed in action at Bir el Abd in August 1916. He is buried in the Kantara War Memorial Cemetery. Edith Mabel Powell served as a Nursing Sister on the Karoola and at Auxiliary Hospitals in London. She returned to Australia in March 1919.
Source
Blood, Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australia, who Served in World War 1.
Verco, Summers, Swain, Jelly. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2014.
Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD
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