 It was at this time that he adapted his surname to Howerd "to be different".In 1944 he became a bombardier in Plymouth, was promoted to sergeant, and on 6 June 1944 was part of the D-Day effort but was stuck on a boat off Normandy.Despite suffering from stage fright, he continued to work after the war, beginning his professional career in the summer of 1946 in a touring show called "For the Fun of It".