Richard Herbert Howe | |
---|---|
Born | 21 June 1912 Arecife, Brazil |
Died | c. 1 June 1981 (aged 68) Royal Tunbridge Wells, England |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Army |
Rank | Captain |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards |
MBE Military Cross |
Captain Richard Herbert Howe MBE, MC (21 June 1912 – c. 1 June 1981) was a British army officer during World War II. [1] [2] He was captured by the Germans in 1940 and eventually held in Oflag IV-C, at Colditz Castle, where he served as Escape Officer from 1942 to 1945. [1] He organised many escapes including eight successful home runs of British officers. [1]
Lt. Col. Moran of the Colditz Association described him as 'an outstanding chap, the soul of Colditz. In a crisis he was the most calm individual and he had enormous reserves of will power'. [3]
Richard Herbert Howe was born on 21 June 1912 in Brazil, the son of Charles Herbert Howe and Ethyl Jeannie Maud Howe (née Nichols). [4] He was educated at Bedford Modern School between 1920 and 1930. [1] [5]
Howe served as a lance corporal on the Officers' Training Corps at Bedford and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Tank Corps on 13 May 1933. [6] After a short period of time with the Royal Tank Corps, he worked in radio manufacturing for Kolster-Brandes Limited, A.C. Cossor Limited and Truphonic Radio Limited. [7] At the outbreak of World War II he rejoined the 3rd Battalion Royal Tank Regiment. [7]
In 1940, Howe was serving in the British Expeditionary Force, as a lieutenant, and temporary captain, in the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment, when he was awarded the Military Cross while defending troops evacuating Calais. [1] [8] [9]
After being captured following the Siege of Calais, he was imprisoned at Oflag VII-C at Laufen. Howe was one of six British officers who escaped, but were eventually recaptured. Howe and the rest of the "Laufen Six" — Harry Elliott, Rupert Barry (later Sir Rupert Barry), Pat Reid, Anthony "Peter" Allan and Kenneth Lockwood — were then sent to Colditz. [10] Howe later replaced Reid as Escape Officer, co-ordinating all escape plans, after Reid himself escaped in October 1942. He organised many escapes including eight successful home runs of British officers. [1]
Howe remained a prisoner until the end of the war, but his efforts were recognized by being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in June 1946. [11] Howe died in hospital in Tunbridge Wells, Kent in 1981. [1]
Richard Herbert Howe | |
---|---|
Born | 21 June 1912 Arecife, Brazil |
Died | c. 1 June 1981 (aged 68) Royal Tunbridge Wells, England |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Army |
Rank | Captain |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards |
MBE Military Cross |
Captain Richard Herbert Howe MBE, MC (21 June 1912 – c. 1 June 1981) was a British army officer during World War II. [1] [2] He was captured by the Germans in 1940 and eventually held in Oflag IV-C, at Colditz Castle, where he served as Escape Officer from 1942 to 1945. [1] He organised many escapes including eight successful home runs of British officers. [1]
Lt. Col. Moran of the Colditz Association described him as 'an outstanding chap, the soul of Colditz. In a crisis he was the most calm individual and he had enormous reserves of will power'. [3]
Richard Herbert Howe was born on 21 June 1912 in Brazil, the son of Charles Herbert Howe and Ethyl Jeannie Maud Howe (née Nichols). [4] He was educated at Bedford Modern School between 1920 and 1930. [1] [5]
Howe served as a lance corporal on the Officers' Training Corps at Bedford and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Tank Corps on 13 May 1933. [6] After a short period of time with the Royal Tank Corps, he worked in radio manufacturing for Kolster-Brandes Limited, A.C. Cossor Limited and Truphonic Radio Limited. [7] At the outbreak of World War II he rejoined the 3rd Battalion Royal Tank Regiment. [7]
In 1940, Howe was serving in the British Expeditionary Force, as a lieutenant, and temporary captain, in the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment, when he was awarded the Military Cross while defending troops evacuating Calais. [1] [8] [9]
After being captured following the Siege of Calais, he was imprisoned at Oflag VII-C at Laufen. Howe was one of six British officers who escaped, but were eventually recaptured. Howe and the rest of the "Laufen Six" — Harry Elliott, Rupert Barry (later Sir Rupert Barry), Pat Reid, Anthony "Peter" Allan and Kenneth Lockwood — were then sent to Colditz. [10] Howe later replaced Reid as Escape Officer, co-ordinating all escape plans, after Reid himself escaped in October 1942. He organised many escapes including eight successful home runs of British officers. [1]
Howe remained a prisoner until the end of the war, but his efforts were recognized by being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in June 1946. [11] Howe died in hospital in Tunbridge Wells, Kent in 1981. [1]