Pte. Sidney Powell, 15th London Regiment.

1914 - 15 Trio.
3349 Pte. S. Powell, 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles).

Sidney Powell lived at 18 Park Street, Cambridge, and attested for the 15th London Regiment on 4th March 1915. His Service Papers describe him as 26 years 8 months old, 5' 6" in height and of good physical development. On the following day, he signed Army Form 624, entitled "Agreement to be made by an officer or man of the Territorial Force to subject himself to liability to serve in any place outside the United Kingdom in the event of National emergency" and 12 days later, on 17th March 1915, he went to France with the 1/15th Battalion of the London Regiment. In the words of the Regimental History: "It was hardly realised when that Battalion went to France that it would soon become the highest of distinctions in the Regiment to be described as a "17th of March man," but this distinction is fully recognised now and he is a much envied man who has the right to attend the Annual Commemoration Dinner." It seems incredible that he got to France just 13 days after joining up, especially as his Papers state he had no previous military service.

Sidney served with the Battalion for just over six months, until suffering a gun shot wound to the leg and left foot on 25th September 1915, the first day of the Battle of Loos. According to the Regimental History: "To the Civil Service Rifles the Battle of Loos was chiefly a spectacle, since, with the exception of two platoons of "B" Company, the whole Battalion looked on from the reserve trenches. The fate of these two platoons, however, brought home to their friends the realities of battle.

"Soon after the attack started, No. 6 Platoon went forward over the top as a bomb-carrying party. Starting out twenty-five strong the party soon suffered heavy losses, and only three men of the party survived unhurt. No. 8 Platoon went to the rescue, and although their fate was much better, they, too, had their losses."

On 8th October 1915, Sidney Powell was sent back to the UK, presumably after a spell in hospital in France. He was discharged from the army on 30th August 1916, having served a total of 1 year and 181 days and was subsequently awarded a Silver War Badge (No: 16105) and a pension of 25 shillings a week. In 1918, he was living at 52 Chestnut Grove, Fulham, London SW12.