HMS Howe was the last of five King George V-class battleships built for the Royal Navy. Laid down 1 June 1937 and launched on 9 April 1940, she was not commissioned until 29 August 1942 because resources were need for higher priority projects such as merchant and escort ships. Howe spent the early part of her career escorting Arctic convoys before participating in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. In July 1944, HMS Howe was moved to the Pacific, where she bombarded Okinawa as part of the British Pacific Fleet.
Post war, Howe was used as a training ship, until placed in reserve in 1950. She was sold for scrap in 1958 and broken up in 1951.
Class and type
King George V-class battleship
Displacement
39,150 long tons (39,780 t) standard 44,510 long tons (45,220 t) full
Length
744 feet 11.5 inches (227.1 m) 740 ft 1 in (225.6 m) (waterline)
HMS Howe being towed from the builder’s yard, June 1942HMS HoweHMS HoweHMS HoweHMS HoweHMS Howe during trials in August 1942HMS Howe August 1942HMS Howe August 1942HMS Howe Gun crew at one of the eight barrelled Vickers two pounder mark VIII ‘pom-pom’ gunsHMS Howe probably on sea trials off Scapa Flow in Sept. 1942.HMS Howe August 1942HMS Howe, in 1942HMS Howe in Glasgow, July 1942Supermarine Walrus floatplane loaded aboard the HMS Howe Sept. 1942HMS Howe firing her 14 guns, Oct 1942HMS Howe underway at sea 1943HMS Howe seen in 1943HMS Howe seen underway after her Dec. 1943-May 1944 refit at DevonportHMS Howe seen underway after her Dec. 1943-May 1944 refit at DevonportHMS Howe seen after her Dec. 1943-May 1944 refit at Devonport.HMS Howe leading a destroyer column off CoromandelHMS Howe Passing Through the Suez Canal 14 July 1944HMS Howe Passing Through the Suez Canal 14 July 1944HMS Howe seen arriving at Cape Town, South Africa September 14, 1945The six forward 14-inch guns of HMS HoweHMS HoweHMS Howe at Auckland 1945HMS Howe off Rangitoto Island, New Zealand, in February 1945HMS Howe seen early 1945 following deployment with the Eastern FleetHMS Howe seen early 1945 following deployment with the Eastern FleetHMS Howe seen arriving at Cape Town, South Africa September 14, 1945HMS King George V and HMS Howe bombard Japanese airfields at Sakashima Gunto, 4 May 1945HMS Howe seen in late 1944 to early 1945 following deployment with the Eastern FleetHMS Howe seen in 1946HMS Howe, cruiser HMS Belfast and a Dido class cruiser, which is possibly HMS Euryalus, in reserve at Devonport c. 1954-55HMS Vanguard (left) and HMS Howe in reserve in early 1956 at the Imperieuse moorings at DevonportHMS Howe being towed to Inverkeithing for scrappingHMS Howe as seen being scrapped at InverkeithingHMS Howe grounded at Inverkeithing, 3 June 1958
