David Armine Howarth

Who was David Armine Howarth?

David Howarth was a British naval officer, boatbuilder, historian and author. After graduating from the University of Cambridge, he became a war correspondent for BBC radio at the start of World War II. Howarth joined the Navy after the fall of France. He served in the Special Operations Executive and helped set up 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 contributions to espionage operations against the German occupation of Norway, he received King Haakon VII's Cross of Liberty. The King also made Howarth a Chevalier First Class of the Order of St Olav.

After the war he wrote several books on naval and military history, including a memoir of the Shetland Bus.

Howarth died on 2 July 1991 at the age of 78. At his request, his ashes were scattered over the waters of Lunna Voe, Shetland, near Lunna House, the first base of the Shetland Bus operation.