John Frederick George Howe | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1930-03-26)26 March 1930 East London, South Africa |
| Died | 27 January 2016(2016-01-27) (aged 85) |
| Allegiance | South Africa United Kingdom |
| Branch | South African Air Force (1949–54) Royal Air Force (1954–85) |
| Years of service | 1949–85 |
| Rank | Air Vice Marshal |
| Commands | RAF Regiment (1983–85) Southern Maritime Air Region (1980–83) Royal Observer Corps (1977–80) RAF Gutersloh (1973–74) No. 228 Operational Conversion Unit (1968–69) No. 229 Operational Conversion Unit (1967–68) No. 74 Squadron (1960–62) |
| Battles / wars | Korean War Suez Crisis Cold War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Air Force Cross Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air (2) Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Air Medal (United States) |
Air Vice MarshalJohn Frederick George Howe,CB, CBE, AFC (26 March 1930 – 27 January 2016) was a seniorRoyal Air Force officer in the 1970s and 1980s. He flew combat missions in theKorean War andNorth Sea interceptor air patrols during theCold War, finishing his career as the Commandant GeneralRAF Regiment andRAF Provost Marshal and Director General Security. Howe also served as the sixteenth Commandant of theRoyal Observer Corps between 1977 and 1980.
Howe was born inEast London, South Africa,[1] and educated atSt Andrew's College, Grahamstown. He joined theSouth African Air Force immediately after leaving school.[2]
Howe began his military flying career in the post-Second World WarSouth African Air Force, and learned to fly inTiger Moths,Harvards andSpitfires. In 1950 he was posted toNo 2 Squadron SAAF "The Flying Cheetahs" and deployed to Korea to fly combat missions as part of South Africa's contribution to theKorean War in support of the UN forces.
During his first tour of duty in Korea he flew theMustang F-51D fighter-bombers in front-line action. A later second tour saw him serving withUS infantry units, as a ground-basedForward Air Controller, operating in the thick of the fighting. He was awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross and theAir Medal from the United States for his service during these actions.
When the political situation in South Africa became more difficult and extreme in 1954 he decided to resign from the SAAF and moved to England where he transferred to theRoyal Air Force in the rank offlying officer (Service No. 503984) to fly early types of jet fighters. He became aQualified Flying Instructor (QFI) on Vampires, later converting to theHawker Hunter, and serving the front lineNorth Sea interceptors ofNo. 222 Squadron RAF atRAF Leuchars in October 1957 as a flight commander on promotion toflight lieutenant.
During theSuez crisis in 1956 he had again operated as a Forward Air Controller and landed with the first invasion wave on the beaches with40 Commando. After Suez Howe returned to flying duties as a Flight Commander withNo. 43 Squadron RAF during which time he was awarded with theQueen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air.[3] Four years after the Suez debacle Howe was promoted tosquadron leader in July 1960 and appointed as Officer CommandingNo. 74 Squadron RAF the 'Tiger' Squadron, to introduce the first of the supersonicEnglish Electric Lightning interceptors into service with the RAF.[4] Howe also formed and led"The Tigers" RAF aerobatic display team during his time with No. 74 Squadron.
Howe was selected by the RAF to undertake several overseas demonstration tours where he showcased the remarkable capabilities of the new fighter in numerous air displays and demonstrations. He was awarded theAir Force Cross on 2 June 1962.[5] Promoted towing commander in January 1966 his developing career took him to a staff posting at HeadquartersRAF Fighter Command, a senior instructor posting atRoyal Air Force College Cranwell and later as a senior staff officer at the Joint Warfare School.
After a 1965 exchange tour posting to the United States where he flew most of theCentury Series Fighters and thePhantom he returned to the UK as Officer CommandingNo. 229 Operational Conversion Unit RAF atRAF Chivenor and laterNo. 228 Operational Conversion Unit RAF atRAF Coningsby where he oversaw the introduction of the Phantom FGR2 into operational service with the RAF. In 1969 on promotion to actinggroup captain he moved to two staff postings, firstly as 'Staff Officer Central Tactics and Trials' and later as 'Deputy Director Operational Research 1'. After his rank as a group captain was made substantive, in 1973 he was appointed Officer CommandingRAF Gutersloh on the front line of theCold WarIron Curtain operations.
On his return from Germany in 1975 he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies for ten months and was posted toRAF Bentley Priory as 'Operations Staff Officer (Training)' atHeadquarters 11 Group, Strike Command.
Following a tour of duty as an Operations Staff Officer, in 1977 Howe moved across the road on promotion toair commodore and took up the appointment as Commandant of theRoyal Observer Corps who were also located at Bentley Priory.[6]
Howe applied the same exacting standards and tight discipline to the ROC as he did to his flying. He found an organisation that was superficially sound but with an underlying air of relaxed complacency. His first action was to insist that all wholetime ROC officers, both newly appointed and those already in service, must qualify through theSpecialist Entrant and Re-entrant (SERE) Officers Course atRAF College Cranwell. The first intake of five officers to do so attended '157 SERE' in October to November 1979 and Air Commodore Howe was guest of honour at the formal end of course dinner. Also, for the first time in the Corps' history, Howe initiated a two pronged regime of both aCommandant's Command Inspection andOperational Evaluations that would continue until the Corps was stood down. The Command Inspections took place in every group headquarters once every three years, with three months prior notice. Howe himself led a two-man team of HQROC staff officers in a two-day detailed review of administration and organisation by the wholetime and spare time staff.
The operation evaluations were a two-day "No Notice" assessment of the group's operational performance similar to RAF station TACEVALs, fromTransition To War right through to prolonged operations under nuclear attack. The OPEVAL evaluation assessors consisted of a joint six-man team from HQROC and theUnited Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation who would arrive on an irregular basis and place the whole group on a realistic but simulated war footing. By the time Howe's tenure ended in 1980 the dual regime of inspections left the ROC up to date, more efficient and comparable to any unit inRAF Strike Command and he was subsequently considered to have had a greater impact on the operational efficiency of the ROC than any other post-war Commandant ROC.
Howe also spearheaded the rapid improvement of inter-group communications over the coming years with the introduction of computerised message switching and modern integrated,EMP hardened telephone systems.
During his time with the ROC Howe additionally oversaw the Corps' contributions to theSilver Jubilee of Elizabeth II celebrations and events and ensured that every advantage was taken to publicise the unsung work of the Corps. On 30 June 1977 Howe led an ROC contingent that took part in the Royal Review of Reserve and Cadet Forces at Wembley Stadium. On 29 July 1977 he attended when the ROC was represented in the indoor exhibition at the Royal Review of the Royal Air Force atRAF Finningley.
Appointed aCommander of the Order of the British Empire in the1979 New Year Honours,[7] Howe handed over command of the ROC to Air Commodore R J Offord on 12 April 1981.
Following his time in charge of the ROC he was promoted toair vice marshal as AOC Southern Maritime Air Region and his final tour of duty was in the dual roles asProvost Marshal Director General of Security andCommandant-General of the RAF Regiment.
In retirement, Howe remained an active member of theNo. 74 Squadron RAF's Association.
Howe had married and had three daughters, he died on 27 January. Howe was famous for his Zulu war dancing as well as tap.[1]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Station CommanderRAF Gutersloh 1973–1974 | Succeeded by P S Collins |
| Preceded by Michael Horace Miller | Commandant Royal Observer Corps 1977–1980 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment 1983–1985 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
