Date of birth:

November 17th, 1918 (Potchefstroom/North-West, South Africa)

Date of death:

February 22nd, 2009

Nationality:

South African

Service number 78808V.

Ted Howes attended Potchefstroom Central Primary School before his family moved to Johannesburg. He attended King Edward VII High School. He was a keen sportsman, playing cricket, rugby and excelling in swimming and water polo.
After school he worked at the City Deep Mine near Johannesburg.
When World War II broke out he was anxious to join up, but his application was delayed, so he decided to join the newly formed Third Battalion of the Transvaal Scottish that went ‘up North’ to oppose the Italians. He was promoted from Lance Corporal to full Corporal.
He was one of 40 men from the South African First Division to be selected for pilot training in the SAAF. After Elementary Flying Training School at Randfontein he proceeded to Kimberley to complete his pilots training at Kimberley Service Flying Training School where he trained and became great friends with Edwin Swales V.C. D.F.C. Ted Howes received his wings, having passed out 4th out of 35 in the group.
As there were no vacancies in SAAF operational squadrons at the time these new pilots were invited to volunteer for secondment to the RAF. He entered Bomber Command and was posted to 106 Squadron of 5 Group at Metheringham in Lincolnshire, flying Lancasters and flew 28 raids over Germany or German occupied Europe as a Lancaster pilot (with 5 of those raids as a Pathfinder).
In 1944 he was promoted to the rank of Captain and posted to 97 Pathfinder Squadron at Coningsby, being assessed A+ (exceptional)
On his return to South Africa he married Esme May Thomson who served in the Womens’ Auxilliary Air Force in South Africa as a Link Trainer Instructor (ground training of pupil pilots in blind landing procedures). They had three children.
Ted Howes returned to working on the mines but soon thereafter accepted an offer from Dunlop South Africa Ltd, where he worked for 32 years until his retirement as a director in 1978.
Ted and Esme moved to their avocado farm in Richmond, Natal and in 1995 to a retirement village ‘Golden Pond’ in Hilton, where they spent the rest of their lives.
Ted Howes passed away on 22nd February 2009, at the age of 90, and Esme died soon thereafter on 6th May 2009.

Besides the medals mentioned below, he also was awarded the General Service Medal 1918-1962.

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• - Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37182 published on the 13 July 1945
  - Family records
  - The South African Military History Society
  - Green Gazette
  - RootsWeb