Edward Pennell

Flight Lieutenant Edward Robert Pennell (1894–1974) was a British World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He returned to military service during World War II.

World War I Pennell originally joined the Royal Navy in 1910, at the age of 16, but soon left and joined the Honourable Artillery Company, part of the Territorial Force. On the outbreak of the war he was mobilized for service and served as a corporal in the HAC. and was appointed a flying officer on 28 November.

He served in No. 27 Squadron for the first half of 1917, flying a Martinsyde G.100 "Elephant" single-seat fighter-bomber, claiming his first victory on 19 March by driving down out of control a Halberstadt D.II over Havrincourt Wood.

He then transferred into the newly formed No. 84 Squadron on 23 July He destroyed an observation balloon over Raillencourt on 22 November, and a DFW Type C reconnaissance aircraft on 30 November over Honnecourt. He accounted for two further reconnaissance aircraft driven down out of control; firstly on 23 December 1917 north of St. Quentin, shared with Second Lieutenant William H. Brown, and secondly in January 1918 over Villers-Outréaux. but was hospitalized the following day, ending his active service. Pennell was one of the first recipients. He was eventually transferred to the unemployed list in January 1919.

Inter-war career Pennell returned to Clacton-on-Sea where he went into business, becoming a property developer, and a partner in a restaurant, He was also elected to the local Urban District Council, serving as chairman in 1927–28. He was granted the war substantive rank of flying officer on 31 August 1940, and was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 June 1942. He served as a liaison officer at a flying school in the United States, but eventually relinquished his commission on account of ill-health on 23 August 1944.

Post-war Pennell returned to his home in Clacton, and served as Chairman of the Urban District Council twice more, in 1946–1948 and 1953–1954, and as chairman and long-standing member of several committees. He was a member of the Royal Air Forces Association, the Clacton Club, and the local Conservative Club, and was a keen golfer and fisherman. He died in 1974.