Commodore Robert Howell Royal Navy

Commodore Robert Howell passed away on the morning of 3 October 2012 at the Rowans Hospice following a short struggle with cancer.

After attending school in Scotland Commodore Howell joined the Royal Navy in 1962 and qualified as a communications and electronic warfare officer in 1972. He then held a range of specialist appointments both ashore and afloat including two years on exchange duty in the Pentagon, from 1980 to 1982, followed by two years in command of the frigate HMS HERMIONE.

From 1989 to 1995 he had two consecutive NATO tours, firstly at Northwood, Middlesex, on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief Channel and then in Naples at the Allied Forces Southern Region Headquarters – in both appointments as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Communications and Information Systems (J6). His last appointment was as the Director, Communications and Information Systems (CIS) (Navy).

After leaving the Navy in 1998 he provided consultancy services to BAE SYSTEMS, Jane’s Information Group, INMARSAT and Thales. His principal consultancy role was as the European General Manager of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), working from AFCEA’s Brussels office and from home in Hampshire, England.

Commodore Howell’s funeral will take place at 10am on Thursday 18 October at the Catholic Church of St Michael and All Angels, Leigh Park.  It is understood his obituary will appear in the TImes on Wednesday 10th.

It is understood that he has left carefully designed and choreographed instructions in his characteristically stylish manner.