David Armine Howarth
Encyclopedia
David Howarth was a British
historian and author. After graduating from the University of Cambridge
, he was a radio war correspondent for the BBC
at the start of World War II
. Howarth joined the Navy
after the fall of France
. He became involved in the Special Operations Executive
(SOE) and ultimately in the Shetland Bus
, an SOE operation manned by Norwegians running a clandestine route between Shetland and Norway
. He was second in command at the Naval base in Shetland. For his successful efforts in the espionage of the German presence in Norway, he received King Haakon VII's Cross of Liberty, the highest honor a foreigner can obtain from Norway.
After the war, he wrote several books about the war in general and of specific events in the war.
Howarth died on 2 July 1991 at the age of 78. His ashes were scattered on the waters of Lunna Bay, near Lunna House
where he was based during the Shetland Bus operation.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
historian and author. After graduating from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, he was a radio war correspondent for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Howarth joined the Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
after the fall of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He became involved in the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
(SOE) and ultimately in the Shetland Bus
Shetland bus
The Shetland Bus was the nickname of a clandestine special operations group that made a permanent link between Shetland, Scotland, and German-occupied Norway from 1941 until the German occupation ended on 8 May 1945. From mid-1942 the official name of the group was "Norwegian Naval Independent Unit"...
, an SOE operation manned by Norwegians running a clandestine route between Shetland and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He was second in command at the Naval base in Shetland. For his successful efforts in the espionage of the German presence in Norway, he received King Haakon VII's Cross of Liberty, the highest honor a foreigner can obtain from Norway.
After the war, he wrote several books about the war in general and of specific events in the war.
Howarth died on 2 July 1991 at the age of 78. His ashes were scattered on the waters of Lunna Bay, near Lunna House
Lunna House
Lunna House is a 17th-century laird's house on Lunna Ness in the Shetland Islands. Lunna House is noted for having "the best historic designed landscape in Shetland"...
where he was based during the Shetland Bus operation.