Ronald Graham Howard - R.A.N.

Ronald Graham Howard was born on the 17^th November 1921 in Solomontown, Port Pirie, South Australia and was the youngest of a family of five. He was educated at Solomontown School and Port Pirie High School. A Barman before joining the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on the 4^th July 1939, he trained as a Stoker at HMAS Cerberus before being drafted to HMAS Hobart (a Modified Leander Class Light Cruiser) where he spent 12 months on overseas service.  The ensuing months were spent escorting troop convoys in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea during which time she visited Colombo, Bombay, Aden, Trincomalee and Chakdina.

HMAS Hobart (1) in Dazzle Camouflage during WW2 

Hobart was at Aden when Italy entered the war on the 10^th June 1940 and her first shots against an enemy were fired two days later when her anti-aircraft guns opened fire on three Italian aircraft during a raid on Aden. Seven days later Hobart returned the compliment when her Walrus aircraft was flown off, carrying out a bombing attack on the Italian wireless station on Centre Peak Island in the Red Sea. There was no opposition and the target was reported as being severely damaged. On the 1^st August 1940 Hobart arrived in Berbera, British Somaliland, escorting and landing reinforcements where she remained there assisting in a general disembarkation while providing protection against any possible attack from the sea. The British however, were heavily outnumbered by three Italian columns advancing overland and on the 15^th of August a general evacuation of the territory from Berbera was ordered. Hobart assumed the role as the operational headquarters throughout the evacuation where the harbour area suffered a number of enemy air attacks. 

Hobart continued escort and patrol duties as a unit of the Red Sea Force until October 1940. Following a brief refit at Colombo, she returned to Sydney on the 3^rd of January 1941. Ron was the first member of the fighting forces to return home on leave during the war and along with another sailor, given a civic reception. Ron was the youngest member of the Port Pirie Sub-branch of Returned Sailors Soldiers and Airmen’s League.

A cruel twist of fate two months later saw the death of Ron Howard; his cap blew off as he was standing on the running board of a tram travelling on William Street to Kings Cross in Sydney where he had just moved into a flat. As he leant out and backwards to see where it had fallen he came in violent contact with a stationary tram and was killed instantly. He was buried with naval honours in Sydney on the 23^rd March 1941.

Sources:

https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-hobart-i

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140438585