Charles Howard, 20th Earl of Suffolk

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For other persons named Charles Howard, see Charles Howard (disambiguation).

Charles Henry George Howard, 20th Earl of Suffolk, GC, (1906 – May 12, 1941) was an English bomb disposal expert, who was also an English Earl in the Peerage of England, belonging to the ancient Howard family. He was the son of the 19th Earl of Suffolk and his American wife, the former Margaret Leiter (sister of Lady Curzon and daughter of the American businessman Levi Leiter)

As Liaison Officer for the British Department of Scientific and Industrial Research during World War II, the 20th Earl of Suffolk was charged with rescuing rare machine tools, $10 million worth of industrial diamonds, fifty French scientists and heavy water.[1] The Earl, accompanied by his private confidential secretary, Eileen Beryl Marden, comprised a part of France's scientific elite as the Nazis advanced through the country. The Earl and Miss Marden were successful in their objective of ushering the scientists out of France, as well as securing the industrial diamonds and heavy water. Howard's approach to his missions earned him the nickname "Mad Jack".

[edit] Bomb disposal

Following his return from France, the Earl worked for the Ministry of Supply as a Research Officer learning how to defuse bombs of new types. [2] The Earl served as part of an unexploded bomb detachment in London during the Blitz. The detachment consisted of himself, Miss Marden, and his chauffeur, Fred Hards. They called themselves "the Holy Trinity" and they became famed for their prowess in detecting and successfully tackling thirty-four unexploded bombs with "urbane and smiling efficiency."[3] Miss Marden stood by his side taking notes, as the Earl worked at defusing the bombs.[4] Sadly, the thirty-fifth claimed its forfeit when all were killed on Erith Marshes in Kent on May 12, 1941. He was awarded the George Cross.^[1]

In 1973, the BBC based a television drama series on the life of the Earl. Ronald Pickup played the leading role in The Dragon's Opponent.