Sergeant Barry Powell

Barry Powell was the son of Harry Stone Powell and Ethel Powell. 

He was born in London but resided in Gloucestershire prior to enlistment into The Gloucestershire Regiment in World War II and later volunteered for service in The Glider Pilot Regiment. 

After completing his training Barry Powell was posted to A Squadron 1st Wing and later took part in the Normandy invasion in June 1944 as co-pilot to Staff Sergeant Duncan Wright. Their glider was forced to cast off from its Albermarle tug and is believed to have crashed to the east of the River Dives in the grounds of the Chateau de Grangues. 

Barry Powell and one of the passengers, Captain John Max, were killed during the crash landing and S/Sgt Wright is reported to have been shot, together with seven survivors of a crashed Stirling which was carrying men of the 591st Parachute Squadron and HQ Royal Engineers, by members of the 711th German Infantry Division after a failed escape attempt. 

Sgt Barry Powell died on 6 June 1944, aged 22 years, and is now buried at Ranville War Cemetery, Normandy.

Cemetery photograph courtesy of CWGC.