Soldier Record

The youngest in his father's second family, my father, Tom Howard, was employed in the family business, William Howard & Sons circa 1750, concerned with Pest control but originally Rat-catchers. In the middle of World War 1, he was conscripted into the Hon. Artillery Co. and then transferred to the R.F.A in late 1916 (as far as I can tell). He was twenty.

Found by a patrol of Australian Light Horse in poor condition

After training at Swanage he was, by Aug.1917, in the Libyan desert and saw continuous action with the RFA. He was lost in the Syrian desert in March 1918 for 10 days, whilst foraging with a companion for fruit in a village. The villagers were hostile and they had to get out fast into the open desert but became disorientated and lost. He was found by a patrol of Australian Light Horse in poor condition and brought out by Camel stretcher.

After hospitalisation & treatment he was not fit for Army service but joined the newly formed RAF at Kantara on June 12th. He trained as an air-gunner and flew 16 missions, mostly in Bristol Fighters. At end of hostilities he was transferred on to staff of a P.O.W. camp for Turkish prisoners at Tura and served there until late 1919 when he returned home for demobilisation.