Bernard Howe was the son of Frank and Ellen Matilda Howe, born in Melksham, Wiltshire on 10th April 1919. His father was a career soldier with the RAMC, being discharged in 1920 after 26 years of  service.

Bernard went to school at Shirburn, near Watlington, where his mother had, at one time, been lady’s maid for the Countess of Macclesfield. Winning a scholarship to Lord Williams’s Grammar  School, he was a pupil there from 1930 to 1937.

In September 1937 he entered RAF College, Cranwell as a Flight Cadet, receiving his commission in July 1939.  He then joined 25 Squadron at North Weald in August 1939 and served with the squadron throughout the Battle of Britain flying Blenheim Mark 1f night fighters.

Posted in January 1941 to 263 squadron at St Eval, and then Portreath in Cornwall, he flew Westland Whirwind fighters on convoy patrols.  On 20th April 1941 on a visit to RAF Wittering, he was killed flying Whirlwind I P6992 which dived into the ground after performing low level inclined rolls.  The accident report at the time presumed this was due to a leading edge slat becoming detached.

He is buried in All Saints’  churchyard, Wittering. Flying Officer Bernard Howe is remembered in Thame on the Lord Williams’s Grammar School Memorial Board.