Edward Henry John Howlett

A Stoker 1st Class with H.M.S. Curacoa. Edward died on 2nd of October 1942 at the age of 27. 

Edward was born at Lowestoft on 30 July 1915, a son of Arthur Henry John and Rose Howlett. He was baptised at Saint on 15 August 1915 and his family lived at 30 Ontario Road, and this was still the family home in 1939.

In 1935 Edward married Mabel Florence Crawford. In 1939 they lived at North Villa, Birds Lane, Lowestoft, and Edward was a trawl fish packer. Later Mabel lived at 6 Meadow Cottages, Oulton Broad. 

Edward was serving on board H.M.S. Curacao on 2 October 1942 when the ship was given the task of escorting the liner Queen Mary bringing around 10,000 American soldiers to Britain. Confusion regarding the correct anti-submarine zig-zag manoeuvres led to the Queen Mary colliding with the Curacao and tearing the Curacao in half. Part of the Curacao sank straight away, but the other part remained afloat which meant that some men were able to to survive. Edward was one of 337 men who lost their lives in the sinking. 

Details of the loss of the Curacao were embargoed until after the war due to national security concerns.