Henry Pownall

Type: Person

As of November 2026, Henry Pownall has been mentioned in one podcast episode on The Rest Is History (Nov 2025). British general during WWII, known for his role in the Battle of France.

Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Royds Pownall, was a senior British Army officer who held several command and staff positions during the Second World War. In particular, he was chief of staff to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France and Belgium until the battle of France in May/June 1940. He was later chief of staff to General Sir Archibald Wavell until the fall of Singapore in February 1942, and was then chief of staff to Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten in South East Asia in 1943–1944.