Group Captain John Alexander "Speedy"  Powell, DSO, DFC, OBE

The Model of Leadership - Group Captain John Alexander "Speedy" Powell,

(photo: Eric Summers)

One of the most respected leaders to come in contact with 150 Squadron was, ironically, not a squadron commander. Group Captain John Alexander Powell came out from England in May 1943 to take command of the newly formed 330 Wing (142 and 150 Squadrons). In typical Powell fashion he immediately ordered a move from the relative civilization of Blida to one of the most godforsaken fields that the squadron ever inhabited - Fontaine Chaude in order to get closer to the targets. A week later, the squadron moved on to Kairouan.

Universally called "Speedy" because of his overwhelming desire to achieve progress, Powell is best known to most people as the briefing officer to Percy "Pick" Picard's crew in the early film Target for Tonight. Powell brought a certain panache to leadership. He would brief the squadron for an op with his trademark fly swatter, which he carried like a swagger stick. He would stand arms akimbo and utter his trademark farewell after briefing "Well, off you go then, and don't do anything I wouldn't do!". The irony in this statement, which all crews understood, was that there wasn't very much that "Speedy" wouldn't do.

He was very good personal and professional friends with General "Jimmy" Doolittle of the USAAF ( he of the "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" Raid fame) who was his immediate superior. Powell and Doolittle are known to have returned to England on "vital business" during the North African campaign on several occasions, landing at RAF Moreton in Marsh. One must suppose that the fact that Powell's house was very near the 'drome at Moreton was coincidental. Just as Doolittle was keen to fly with the crews of 150 on night raids to Bizerte and did so often, Powell pestered Doolittle to let him go along on a B-24 mission. Unfortunately, the airplane was shot up badly, killing the pilot and navigator. Powell brought the aircraft in for a crash landing on a beach, and was immediately put in for an American DFC. He had never flown a four engined B-24 before. Unfortunately, the medal arrived on Doolittle's desk two days after Powell was posted missing.

(left to right) Brig. Gen. E.P. Curtis (USAAF); Major Gen. J.K. Cannon (USAAF); Air Marshall Sir Arthur Conigham (RAF: AOC 205 Group); Lt. Gen. Carl Spaatz (USAAF); Major General James H. Doolittle (USAAF: AOC North West Africa Strategic Airforce); General Dwight D. Eisenhower (C--in C Allied Forces North West Africa); Group Captain J.A. Powell (RAF) (photo: Trish Epthorp)

"Speedy" maintained his own Hurricane Mark II B on the aerodrome and was known to have used the aircraft to have a look at bomb damage inflicted by his Wing. Powell left command of 330 Wing to be replaced by W/C W.M. "Bill" Morris in January 1944 and became an RAF liaison officer at 205 Group headquarters at Bari. He was killed flying over Yugoslavia in August 1944. As a staff officer, Powell had no need to ever fly again, but that was not in the Powell nature. Records show that Powell was killed flying with 19 Squadron - a fighter squadron. One of our pilot veterans has a record of flying "Speedy's" Hurri on squadron - taking it up for aerobatics and general flying for 1 1/2 hours on several occasions. This pilot - a Flight Leader was an American in the RAF and when he applied to rejoin the USAAF, "Speedy" Powell wrote a letter to General Doolittle suggesting that his talents as a night pilot would be better put to use as a night fighter pilot rather than as a B-17 or B-24 driver. The request was granted and Al Jones went on to a successful tour on Beaufighters and P-61 Black Widows with the USAAF, a career in the USAF Reserve and rose to be chief test pilot of Boeing Aircraft Company.

Hawker Hurricane Mark IIB (Trop) on PSP hardstanding - believed to be Speedy's hack (photo: Trish Epthorp)

To anyone who met him or served with him Powell's leadership was inspirational. As with all great leaders he knew how to gain respect without pomposity. He would offer his gold plated snuffbox to a crew before a raid without regard to rank. He regularly attended end of tour parties in the Sergeants' Mess and insisted that his officers do the same. His motto "Never Fear", steadied the sprog aircrew just starting ops. One of our vets, a sprog Pilot Officer navigator at the time, remembers Speedy making a point of coming over and sitting with him outside the mess on his first night on squadron at Kairouan and encouraging him by telling him that he felt he would do just fine on ops. As with most great leaders, he never asked his men to do what he hadn't or wouldn't do himself. His passing was sorely felt in 205 Group, but nowhere was the news received with more grief than in the crews of 330 Wing who had served with this most impressive of operational leaders.

The "Powell Coat of Arms" created for Speedy by a 330 Wing member - it is described as:

"Two searchlights coned blanc dans le champ transverse, supporting snuff box d'or on a field sable, disturbed gauche et droit by flak eclatant, the whole supported by crossed mouche swatters with the scroll bearing the Powell motto: "Never Fear". (photo: Trish Epthorp, translation : Eric Summers)