WWII D-Day veteran Donald Howkins dies at 105
Quick Look
- Donald Howkins, a World War Two veteran who participated in the D-Day landings, has died at age 105.
- He served as a gunner in the Middlesex Regiment, helped prepare equipment for the Normandy invasion, and landed at Gold Beach alongside his four brothers, all of whom survived the war.
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Why It Matters
Donald Howkins served in World War Two as a gunner in the Middlesex Regiment, contributing to the D-Day landings by helping waterproof vehicles and ammunition before landing at Gold Beach. He served alongside his four brothers, all of whom survived the war.
A World War Two veteran who took part in the D-Day landings has died aged 105.
Donald Howkins, from Buckingham, served as a gunner in the Middlesex Regiment and helped waterproof vehicles and ammunition for the Normandy invasion before landing at Gold Beach.
He served alongside his four brothers during the war, all of whom survived.
Speaking to the BBC in 2024, he said: "I often wonder why I've lived this long and so many of my mates and friends got killed."
Dick Goodwin, vice president of Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, said: "Don Howkins was a truly wonderful gentleman, and we had the enormous pleasure and privilege of getting to know him.
"He had built a very successful family business after the war, but he remained deeply connected to the memories of his wartime service and the friends he had made along the way."
Open Questions
- What specific role did Donald Howkins play in waterproofing equipment for D-Day?
- What was the name and nature of the family business he built after the war?
- Are there any surviving siblings or descendants mentioned beyond his four brothers?
