HMS Howe
While we're on the subject of interesting things within St Giles', we came across the bell for HMS Howe which spawned research into the battleship and so it is only right that we share what we know with you. HMS Howe was the last of the five British battleships commissioned by the Royal Navy under King George V. The battleship wasn't actually launched until four years after the king's death and originally had the name Beatty but this was changed to honour Admiral Richard Howe instead. Despite being launched two years earlier, she wasn't completed until the 29th of August 1942 as the work ended up being extended due to supplies being diverted to high priority jobs. Once complete Howe spent her career in the Arctic providing cover for Russian convoys, much like her sister ship Anson. When 1943 hit Howe was brought onboard Operation Husky and bombarded the Trapani naval base in support of the Allied landings. It then escorted two surrendered Italian battl...
