The intriguing Great War King’s Birthday Honours Western Front November 1914 to May 1917 ‘distinguished services’ Military Cross, Second World War London Home Guard and Territorial Decoration group awarded to Lieutenant Colonel H.LL. Howard, M.C., Artists Rifles, Royal Engineers Signals Service, and Royal Signals. From Woodford Green, Essex, he worked as a chemical manufacturer, but nevertheless had a distinguished record in the Territorial Force and the Territorial Army from 1914 right through to the late 1930’s, something which he was proud of, as denoted in the extensively engraved reverse of his Efficiency Decoration that he was awarded in 1935. A keen traveller, he and his wife conducted a ‘World Tour’ something which was reported in the newspaper during 1927. .
Group of 8: Military Cross, GVR GRI cypher, reverse privately engraved: ‘HUGH LLOYD HOWARD / ROYAL ENGINEERS SIGNAL SERVICE / 24TH. DIV. NOV.’14 TO MAY’17. / 5.6.17’; 1914-1915 Star, correctly impressed; (2.LIEUT. H.L. HOWARD. R.E.) and additionally with his division ‘24TH: DIV.’, date of entry ’30-8-15’ and unit specifics ‘SIGNAL SERVICE’, and the second letter of his middle name to read ‘LL’; British War Medal and Victory Medal with original Mention in Despatches Oakleaf, the medals both fully erased and then re-engraved as per the recipient’s preference; (CAPT. H. LL. HOWARD. R.E. SIGNAL SERVICE.); Defence Medal 1939-1945, rim impressed in Boots style; (LIEUT. H. LL. HOWARD. 12 (CITY OF LONDON) BN. H.G.); Jubilee Medal 1935, rim engraved in a style which reflected the recipient’s preference; (LT. COL. H. LL. HOWARD. 47 (2 LON.) DIV SIGS.); Coronation Medal 1937, rim engraved in a style which reflected the recipient’s preference; (BREVET. COL. H. LL. HOWARD. ARTISTS RIFLES); Efficiency Decoration, GVR Cypher, complete with Territorial top bar, reverse most attractively engraved to the recipient’s personal preference; ‘BT. COL. HUGH LLOYD HOWARD 47TH: (2ND: LON.) DIV. SIGS. 1927-35’ and additionally as follows: ‘OXFORD U. O.T.C. 1912-1914 / ARTISTS RIFLES 1914: 1926-27’ and ‘R.E. SIGNALS 1914-19: T.F. 1920 / R. SIGNALS (T) 1920-26: 1927-35’ and ‘24TH: 2ND: 36TH: DIVS. / III CORPS 1914-19 / 56TH: (1ST: LON.) DIV. 1920-26’, mounted swing style as worn on old ribbons, and housed in the carrying case, this by The Goldsmith& Silversmiths Company Ltd: London, this with the lid embossed in gold lettering with the recipient’s initials: ‘H. LL. H.’
Condition: as mentioned above, numerous examples of additional or else re-engraving to suit the recipient’s personal preference, otherwise as found, and attractively done, overall Good Very Fine. Wearing pin now detached from mount, but present.
Hugh Lloyd Howard was born on 15 May 1924 in Woodford Green, Essex, the son of David Lloyd Howard, a chemical manufacturer and a Justice for Peace for Essex, and his wife, Florence Herbert. Having been educated through Oxford University, where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps for 1912-1914, he then followed in his fathers footsteps, working as a chemical manufacturer.
He also became a long serving member of both the Territorial Force and later the Territorial Army, being commissioned directly from Cadet in the O.T.C., to become a 2nd Lieutenant into the Artist’s Rifles on 1 October 1914. With the Great War he then saw service out on the Western Front from 30 August 1915 with the Royal Engineers Signal Service operating with the 24th Division’s artillery.
Promoted to Temporary Lieutenant, he was awarded the Military Cross for his distinguished service between November 1914 and May 1917, the award being announced in the King’s Birthday Honours List, as published in the London Gazette for 4 June 1917. He ended the war as a temporary Captain and Acting Major, having seen active service variously with the 24th, 2nd and 36th Division’s in that order, all within 3rd Corps.
Howard. who was promoted to Major on 23 December 1920, then saw service with the Signals Section of the 56th (1st London) Division between 1920 and 1926, and after service with the Artists Rifles again during 1926 and 1927, then saw service with the Signals Section of the 47th (2nd London) Division between 1927 and 1935.
Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, his parent battalion is shown as the 28th London Regiment - the Artist’s Rifles, and as such he was awarded the Efficiency Decoration, gazetted to him on 15 November 1935, in which year he was also awarded the Jubilee Medal 1935. He further went on to be awarded the Coronation Medal 1937, both these latter two medals are privately inscribed to him, detailing him as a Lieutenant Colonel with the 47th (2nd London) Divisional Signals and Artists Rifles respectively.
With the Second World War, Howard, who had by then relinquished his commission in the Territorial Army, then saw service as a Lieutenant with 12th City of London Battalion, Home Guard.
Howard had married Marcella Le Maistre in Basingstoke, Hampshire, back on 28 June 1919, she being the daughter of Mr. G.H. le Maistre, late Indian Public Works Department, of Eaton Square, London, and La Maison du Coin, St Aubins, Jersey, Channel Islands. They had three children. Howard died on 10 October 1957 in Chigwell, Essex. .
