225703 Pte. Ernest Peter Powrie British Army 5th Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) from:Dundee (d.26th March 1945) Ernest Powrie lost his life aged just 18 during action in Germany. His battalion was one of the first to cross the Rhine. What perhaps makes Ernest's death more poignant is that his father also died on active service four days later.
Staff-Sergent Albert Powrie was a WW1 veteran and had volunteered to serve his country in this conflict. He was posted to India and worked as a motor mechanic with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Albert died from burn wounds after an accident, not knowing that his son Ernest had been killed four days earlier. Albert's wife (and Ernest's mother) was Janet Grieve Powrie (nee Boyter). Janet passed away in 1978 and had one surviving son. Her distress at hearing of the deaths of her husband and son only days apart can barely be imagined.
Albert Powrie was my great uncle. I never met him or Ernest (I was born many years after their deaths). I found out about them when researching my family tree. There are some mentions of them in local newspapers of the time and council and parish records etc. Given the nature of the family tragedy, it is important to me that they are remembered. I felt a surge of pride to find out I was related to these heroes and intend to visit Ernest's war grave in Germany in the near future. Hopefully one day I cold also visit Albert's grave in India. I now proudly consider myself to be one of the privileged guardians of their memories and will ensure that my children and grandchildren never forget their sacrifices, and why such brave service personal had to perish.
I am an author and mostly compose short stories and poetry. I have now commenced a more detailed research project around these two men and hopefully this could lead to some widespread publicity around their story. Even though it is a tragedy, it is a fantastic story ion the same vein as Saving Private Ryan. I am finding information quite hard to come by as most of the direct descendants of the men are either unknown to me or deceased. More detailed information around the campaigns of their battalions are mostly unknown to me as well. If anyone one reading this article would kindly like to share any information about Albert and Ernest, or their battalions, I would be most grateful.
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