Wing Commander Francis Sidney "Logger" Powley DFC, AFC
Royal Air Force B flight 166 Squadron
from:Three Brooks Ranch, Winfield, British Columbia, Canada
(d.5th April, 1945)
My namesake Canadian uncle, W/C Francis (Frank) Sidney Powley, was posted CO of "B" Flight 166 squadron based at Kirmington in July 1943. He flew missions from Kirmington until Sept-Oct 1944 when he was promoted to W/C of the re-formed 153 squadron, which was moved to Scampton for the duration of the war. Many of the 166 crews and aircraft were attached to 153. Following his initial flight training at RAF Depot Uxbridge in 1937, Powley was posted first to #4 Flying Training School at Abu Sueir in Egypt and later to 27 squadron in Kohat and other bases in the Northwest Frontier Province of British India. He also served as CO of the Advanced Training School of #1 Flying Training School at Ambala. Powley was listed as missing on the night of 4-5 April 1945 when the Lancaster RA 544 he was piloting on a mine-laying mission off the coast of occupied Denmark was shot down by a German night-fighter. As it happens, I have been living and working as a news journalist in Denmark for the past 30 years. My recent research into the uncle I never knew has turned up some interesting facts and anecdotes both from his time in India and later in Bomber Command in England. Naturally, I would very much appreciate any information, pictures or other material people might have about Powley and his activities at Kirmington.
