 Pakatanga Hondo Yenyika Yokutanga muna August 1914, Howell akaedza kunyoresa muAustralia Imperial Force yakanga ichangobva kuumbwa asi pakutanga akarambwa. Gore rakatevera racho, akasiya basa rake muCitizens Military Force uye akanyorerazve kuti apinde muAustralia Imperial Force kuti ashande muhondo; akagamuchirwa musi wa1 Ndira 1916. Nemhaka yezera rake, Howell akanga asingakwanisi kupiwa basa muuto uye panzvimbo pezvo akapiwa chinzvimbo chevanhu. Akagoverwa ku16th Reinforcements ye14th Battalion, akaenda kuHMAT Anchises muMelbourne, Victoria, musi wa14 Kurume. Paakasvika muFrance, akaendeswa ku46th Battalion yakangomutswa musi wa20 Chivabvu uye akasimudzirwa kuva corporal mazuva mana gare gare. Apo chikwata chacho chakanga chichiita chiito pedyo neSomme, Howell akasimudzirwa kwenguva pfupi kuti ave musoja muna Chikunguru, asati atora chikamu muHondo yePozières mwedzi wakatevera. Akasiya mabasa ake enguva pfupi ndokudzokera kuchinhanho chechitanhatu muna August. Anoonekwa somunhu ane unyanzvi hwokupfura, Howell akanga arovedzwa somupfuri panguva yaaiva muboka rechi 46. 