Dates: 1942 - 1958

HMS Howe was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after Admiral Richard Howe. She was originally to be named HMS Beatty.

Built at the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. shipyard in Govan and launched in 1940, the ship was originally to be named Beatty after the commander of the British battlecruiser squadron at the Jutland, but she was renamed Howe in February 1940.

Howe was part of the Home Fleet in 1942 and early 1943, then joined Force H in the Mediterranean. She was refitted between October 1943 and June 1944 then joined the British Pacific Fleet. After the war she was used as a training ship.

Howe was broken up in 1957, along with the other three ships of her class, which had also survived the Second World War

Memories of HMS Howe

HMS Howe, in 1944
Written by William David PAYNE
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"1944 H.M.S.HOWE WASTHE HEAVIEST SHIP TO TRAVERSE THE sUEZ CANAL.CAPTAIN H.W.U.MC.CALL. D.S.O. SAW US THROUGH SAFELY. SQUADIES ON THE BANK SHOUTED ENCOURAGING COMMENTS SUCH AS "YOUR DRIVER IS P.....D & YOUN ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY". hAPPY DAYS!!"


HMS Howe, British Paciic Fleet in 1944
Written by Whacker PAYNE
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"I joined the navy as a boy Seaman in1943. Joined H.M.S.HOWE 1944. My only claim to fame is that I was appointed to serve as one of the Gash Chute captains. An odorous but necessary job. I remember attacking Japanese supply depots in Sumatra,along with K.G.V.& various carriers. We bombarded places like Padang & sigli. we were very "impressed" when we learned that we had successfuly destroyed a Cement factory.!!!

In the early days our gunnery Officer was Lt. Cdr.Lefanu."OLE GINGE" who later became the Admiral responsible for cutting out the Rum ration. Any way he was a very good gunnery officer.!!"

Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Howe

" G’day guys. Caught the pair of you in your own wee caboosh, probably a bottle of something made in the paint  shop, or some communion wine from Malta [Marsovin] Or Roly brought back some neaters from the Ganges re-union.lol. The Howe, was the first Pussers ship that I ever set my wee ..."

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" I have been delving in the bottom of my memoriesand came back with the following. Christmas day 1942, Scapa on HMS Howe, her first commission. I was somewhat bemused when at 1600 they cleared lower deck.  Even the marines were too druck to parade properly and the senior rares were nearly ..."

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