2nd LIEUT JOSEPH POWLEY

Rank:

Date of Death:

Age:

Regiment/Service:

Panel Reference

Memorial

Second Lieutenant

03/05/1917

23

Essex Regiment

2nd Bn.

Bay 7.

No known grave.

 ARRAS MEMORIAL

Additional Information:

Son of Joseph Powley, of Sleagill, Shap, Penrith, Cumberland, and the late Isabella Powley.

In the 1901 census he is the son of Joseph and Isabella Powley, aged 7, born Morland, resident Sleagill. 

1901 Census 

Family Iiving in Sleagill 

Joseph Powley b.1842 SandriggsMorland, farmer

Isabella Powley b.1866 Carlisle grocer working at home on her own

account, wife

Joseph Powley  b.1894 Morland

Margaret Powley  b.1899  Morland,

Isabella Powley  b.1901  Morland, 

1911 Census 

Joseph not listed as living at home with parents, on this census there is an extra child listed -

Ralph Powley  b1904 Sleagill

The other children are listed as born in Sleagill,Morland

There seems to be no 1911 census record for Joseph.

2nd Lieutenant Joseph Powley, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment, No service number given.

His service record does not seem to have survived.

3 May 1917

Killed in action whilst serving with 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment.

He is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at the Arras Memorial, at the Faubourg-D'Amiens Cemetery, Arras,Pas de Calais, France.His name is inscribed on Bay 7 which indicates that his body was never found.

This information from the memorial site seems to suggest that Joseph was killed during the Arras offensive of April/May 1917

The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United

Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to

Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May1917

Cumberland and Westmorland Herald 26 April 1917 Private Joseph Powley eldest son of Mr Joseph Powley, Sleagill has been granted a commission. He enlisted four months after the war started,joining the West & Cumb Yeomanry and went with them to France. After serving in the trenches a while he was transferred to a cadet training school from where he has been gazetted into the Essex Regiment.

Photo May 26th 1917

Cumberland and Westmorland Herald 19th May 1917

Mr Joseph Powley, Sleagill has received official information from the War Office that his eldest son 2nd Lieutenant Joseph Powley Essex Regiment has been killed in action in France.

Lieut. Powley joined the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry 2 years ago and was trained at the Curragh. He had risen from the ranks only recently we announced that he had been granted a commision. He is a member of the well known wrestling family of Powley, Longlands Shap, his uncles Ralph and Tom being at one time light and heavyweight champions of the world respectively. Lieut. Powley who was 23 years of age was a tall smart lad and before the war engaged in farming

He is commemorated also on a headstone in Thrimby (Little Strickland) churchyard.

Powley- In loving memory of Joseph Powley of Sleagill who died 27th February 1929 aged 88 yeard also Isabella the beloved wife of Joseph Powley of Sleagill who died 26th September 1912 aged 42 also Joseph their son killed in action in France on 3rd May 1917 aged 21

Cumberland News article 26/5/17 p.4d