Sgt Harold Norman Howes 740896 was born in Gillingham on 24th December 1915. He joined the RAFVR about December 1937 as an Airman u/t Pilot and was called up on 1st September 1939. He joined 213 Squadron, coded AK, on 7th September and was serving with 85 Squadron in France in May 1940. On the 20th he damaged a Do17 of KG77 (4)? but was then shot down in Hurricane P2555 by Me110’s and crash-landed near Abbeville. He was unhurt and the Hurricane was abandoned.
On 18th August 1940 he destroyed two Me110’s and damaged a Do17, on the 31st got a probable Do17 and on 1st September he shared another Do17 and damaged a Me109. Posted to 605 Squadron, coded UP, at Croydon on 12th September, Howes destroyed a Do17 and probably another on the 15th, destroyed a Me109 on 12th October, damaged Me109’s on 1st and 2nd November and destroyed two on the 10th and 15th.
He was awarded the DFM (gazetted 25th October 1940). Citation; During the period of intensive operations in France, Sergeant Howes destroyed four enemy aircraft. In August, 1940, he took part in attacks against large enemy formations. He personally destroyed two Messerschmitt 110s and one Dornier 17, and severely damaged several others. Sergeant Howes has proved himself a brave and determined pilot.
Howes was shot down by a Me109 on 1st December in Hurricane V6844, he made a crash-landing on Gravesend aerodrome. He was unhurt and the Hurricane was later repaired.
He was posted back to 85 Squadron, coded VY, on 9th December 1940 the squadron now flying night flying Hurricanes from RAF Gravesend. He took off for a routine night patrol at 17.15hrs on the night of the 22nd. He was recalled when the weather began to deteriorate, he was killed when he apparently lost control of Hurricane I V6679, perhaps due to icing crashing at Cuxton, Kent.
I have been maintaining the grave site on behalf of the Battle of Britain Society for many years and often wonder if there are any of his extended family still living in the area who are probably unaware of this hero. As my photographs taken in early November 2023 below show, it appears his mother Louisa Howes was buried with him in 1969.
