Friends of Hastings Cemetery

A brief obituary appeared in the Hastings Observer later in April 1915.

Entitled ‘An Old Hastings Family Bereaved’ it says:

‘Many old residents will regret to hear of the death of 2nd Lieutenant H.E. Howell, 2nd East Lancashire Regiment, who was killed in action in France on 9th May.

He was the third (sic) son of the late Mr John Howell, solicitor of Hastings and Mrs John Howell, 120, Palace Rd, Tulse Hill, and the grandson of Mr John Howell of Priory Mount, Hastings, and was one of five brothers serving in the army as Officers.

 

The gallant officer formerly lived in Hastings and was educated at Hurst Court. With the exception of a few days’ leave about two months ago, he had been at the Front nearly all the time from the commencement.’

Herbert Howell, p.2

He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium.

A brother officer who had served with Lieutenant Howell wrote on 18th May an account of the action in which he died.

‘He was in ‘B’ company. This company lost all its officers except Howell in the charge.  He managed to get the remnants of his company together in an advanced position on my left.

I crawled along to tell him of the projected fresh attack. He agreed with me that it was certain death, and I left him then encouraging and cheering his men.  However the attack never took place, for we were shelled from our position and then were ordered to retire.

It was while Lieut. Howell was getting his men away in as orderly a manner as possible that he was struck on the head and killed instantaneously.  I shall never forget the unquestioning obedience with which Lieut. Howell received the order for the second charge with three officers of his company dead and two wounded and he was left with the remainder of the shattered Company.  It was a day of deeds and quiet heroism and the men showed that they were worthy of such officers as Howell.’