(image from Imperial War Museum)

George Pownall was born on 30 August 1883, the son on Frank Pownall MA & Helena Augusta Pownall (née Stephenson). 

He joined the Royal Navy in 1897 and, in 1904, as a Lieutenant, was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS THAMES ‘additional for Training’ and then in 1906 ‘for Command of Submarines’.  This was followed by an appointment to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MERCURY ‘for Command of Submarines and for the Instruction of Officers’ . 

In 1909 he returned to the Surface Fleet for his ‘Big Ship’ time with an appointment to the battleship HMS LORD NELSON. He returned to Submarines in 1911 when he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS THAMES ‘for Submarine C9 in Command’.  

He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1911 and, in 1912, was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS FORTH ‘for HMS ONYX in Command and for Command of the Submarine Flotilla’.   In 1913 he was appointed to HMS EGMONT at Malta ‘and for Command of Submarine Flotilla’. The Malta Flotilla was sent to the Dardanelles in September 1914.

In 1915 he was appointed ‘in Command’ of both the Malta and Gibraltar Flotillas. During the Dardanelles landings he volunteered to act as a Beach Master on ‘V Beach’. He was killed during the landings.

George Pownall is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial on Panel No. 7 and was the husband of Vera Pownall (née Chichester).