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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 111

The campaign group of three awarded to noted racing driver Captain R. B. 'Dick' Howey, Coldstream Guards, late King's Own Scottish Borderers, who enlisted underage and was twice wounded in action on the Western Front; Howey survived a plane crash in 1921 and went on to become one of the world's foremost racing drivers, only to die on the track in a spectacular crash on 26 August 1926

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut. R. B. Howey. K. O. Sco. Bord.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. R. B. Howey.), mounted as worn, minor contact wear, very fine (3)

Richard Barstow Howey - or Dick to his friends and comrades - was born in Woodbridge, Suffolk in 1896 and was educated at Ludgrove and Malvern College. Lying about his age, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant with the King's Own Scottish Borderers on 7 January 1915, serving in France with the 7th Battalion on 3 October 1915. Twice wounded during the conflict, the first time severely so in the head, he nevertheless survived.

Granted a permanent commission with the Coldstream Guards on 24 December 1916 he served until the end of the conflict before being posted to back to England. Here Howey was appointed A.D.C. to the General Officer Commanding Northern Command on 1 June 1919 and it was during this time that he survived a plane crash at Knavesmire in 1921. It is entirely in keeping with his character that as Howey lay recovering in Hospital he announced that he intended to join the Royal Air Force. One comment in The Times credits a desire to keep him out of the cockpit with his racing career stating that in place of a plane he was given a motor.

Leaving his post as A.D.C. on 1 November 1923 he resigned his commission on 26 April 1924 and focused instead on the world of racing. He began to operate with his brother Captain John 'Jack' Edward Presgrave Howey and both were regular competitors at Brooklands. It was with his brother that Howey arrived at Baincthun to take part in the Boulogne-sur-Mer hillclimb on 26 August 1926, having earlier in the month competed in the Gold Cup race. The climb was to take place on the road out of Baincthun, Pas-de-Calais, to the top of Mont Lambert and involved some extremely steep turns. Howey was driving an eight-cylinder 5-litre Indianapolis Ballot and attempted to take the second bend of the climb at a speed of around 75mph. He clipped a spectators car just prior to the turn and lurched out of control into the crowd. A Parisian businessman named Louis Pieters, was killed in the crash and several others seriously injured. The Ballot crashed through the crowd and struck a tree with Howey thrown through the windscreen, he was killed instantly. It is a mark of how well respected Howey was that after the crash a number of British drivers abandoned the event, notably Tommy Thistlethwayte. His brother 'Jack' retired from racing altogether and spent the rest of his life devoted to the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch narrow gauge Railway. A letter written to The Times after his death by someone claiming to be friend of Howey perhaps sums up his character the best stating:

'Reckless of his own life, he was even more lavish in his generosity to others. He was a wonderful friend. He would freely five or lend his possessions to the merest acquaintance, at a word. It was impossible to dissuade him from giving. He would laugh, admit that it was quixotic, ridiculous - and still give. It was equally impossible to ruffle his temper or to remain ruffled oneself in the presence of that sunny and affectionate disposition, the embodiment of the charity that thinketh no evil. And though he never spoke of them, he showed at every turn that his ideals were those of a stainless gentleman.'

Sold together with copied research comprising extracts from The Times, The Malvernian and a number of Newspaper obituaries as well as death, probate and census records along with an M.I.C. and copied photographs - both of the recipient and the crash which took his life.

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Sold for
£750

Starting price
£80