British Forces

HMS Howe Passing Through Suez Canal 1944

Original Color. HMS HOWE (32), eventual Flagship of the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, seen passing through the Suez Canal 14 July 1944, on its way to the Pacific. Other information on the ship: HMS Howe, was built at the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. shipyard in Govan and launched on the 9th of April 1940. She was the last of her class--King George V-class battleship. She served in the Home fleet in 1942 - 43 and in Force H, 1943, on duty off Sicily and in Italian waters and went into refit from October 1943, to June 1944, HMS Howe then was transferred to the British Pacific Fleet . The BPF, designated Task Force 57, eventually became part of the predominately U.S. allied naval force supporting the invasion of Okinawa, its specific task being the bombardment of the Sakishima Islands to restrict the passage of Japanese reinforcements (Operation Iceberg I). Howe was on station from 26 March until 25 May, apart from a two-week visit to Leyte for repair and replenishment, providing protection for the aircraft carriers whose aircraft were performing raids on Japanese airfields. Howe and other ships were briefly detached on 4 May to bombard Hiara, Miyako-jima and on one occasion, Howe received a glancing blow from a kamikaze suicide plane which bounced into the sea before exploding. On 25 May, the BPF departed for Sydney; Howe was withdrawn from the BPF on their arrival on 5 June. Howe continued to Durban for a refit, as no suitable facilities were available in Australia, arriving on 27 June. The refit concluded on 10 September, after the end of World War II. She evenutally was used as a training ship in 1946 she was Scrapped at Inverkeithing 4th June 1958.