Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The fifth of eight children, Len was born in Wongong, Armadale WA in 1904. He grew up on the family farm at Wongan, attending Bedford Primary School with his younger siblings - his older siblings attended Armadale Primary School. Len's father - Frederick Elijah Powell (b1864 in Norfolk, England) and Mother - Minnie Amelia Mears (b1873 in London, England - married in 1889 in Guildford WA. They farmed at Wongan in Armadale WA (catlle, vegetables, barley and oats). Any travel or shopping was done with a horse and sulky, and with no Doctors locally, all children were birthed at Home with a Midwife. Minnie attended to all medical emergencies - Pery said 'Mum had a great big medical book, she used to go by that' (Percy Powell; 1992). In 1903 Fred won the ploughing competition in Armadale for the neatest and straightest ploughing - Percy said (1992) 'He worked like a horse. Yeah, he had nothing'.

Len worked as a Labourer in Armadale WA and in 1927 married Annie Smith (b1905 in Fremantle WA). The couple settled in Armadale WA and Len was a Truck Driver/Mechanic in December 1941 when he enlisted in the ACMF. He was a Private (Service No:W13468) attached to 13 Field Ambulance when he transferred to the AIF (Service No:WX28489). Len was a Corporal attached to 13 Field Ambulance when he was Discharged in May 1944. Brothers Freddy, Bert and Harry had served in WWI and Percy in WWII.

Len worked Armadale and Mingenew as a Labourer, and in Perth as an Assembler after WWII. He died in 1967 and Annie in 1987.