Howard was educated at Birmingham County Council School. He enlisted into the R.A.M.C. (T.F.) on 23rd October 1914 and was embodied into the 2nd South Midland Divisional Field Ambulance. He entered the war in France on 24th March 1915. He died of wounds received by a bomb dropped from a German aeroplane on the Casualty Clearing Station while he was on duty. His Commanding Officer wrote: “Lewis had done exceptionally good work in the front live, and at the time of the fatal occurrence was having a rest. He had spent much of his time looking after German sick and wounded, and his characteristic reward had been death by an act of frightfulness contrary to all the rules of the Geneva Convention.” Howard was the son of John and Bessy Jane (daughter of George Dudley) Lewis of 22 Seymour Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham.