Howard William Kingcome was born on 26 June 1895, the third child of George Henry and Mary Jane (née Axworthy) Kingcome of Plympton Devon. Older sisters Letitia Louise (1892) and Henrietta Mary (1894), younger brother Frederick (1897), sister Florence Bessie (1902), brother Henry Charles (1906) and Percy (1910) completed the family unit.

Howard joined the Royal Navy when he crossed the gangway of HMS IMPREGNABLE the “Boy Training Ship” in Devonport dockyard on 7 March 1911 to start his naval life as a Boy Second Class. On 26 May 1911 he walked through the gates of HMS GANGES in Shotley, Suffolk where on 18 September he was rated Boy First Class. Then on 9 February 1912 he went to HMS VIVID 1, the Naval Barracks in Devonport, for 2 weeks before joining HMS CARNARVON on 24 February 1912. While on board he was rated Ordinary Signalman in June 1913 and to Signalman on 18 December 1913. He returned to VIVID 1 on 18 May 1914 for just 2 months as on 30 July 1914 he joined HMS ECLIPSE serving on board until  6 March 1915 when once again he returned to VIVID 1.

On 11 May he was drafted to HMS BLAKE where he volunteered for submarine service. On 1 November 1915 he joined HMS DOLPHIN for the submarine introductory course and on completion on 27 December 1915 joined HMS MAIDSTONE based in Harwich and HMS E5.

E5 disappeared in the Heligoland Bight area of the North Sea in early March 1916 with initial reports “while helping survivors of a sinking trawler”. For administration reasons 11 March 1916 was used as the date of death of the crew as this was the date she failed to return from her patrol. Later reports amended this date to 7 March 1916. In 2012 a Dutch underwater survey team found the wreck upright on the sea bed with her conning tower seperated but laying close by. There is no discernible damage to her hull and upper deck hatches are open as if the 30 in number  crew members were trying to escape.

Signalman, Howard William Kingcome, Svc No. J11519, “Crossed The Bar” in March 1916 with the other 29 of his shipmates.