Thanks dick. I wondered about that photo from Colombo myself.
As regards the Bofors guns on 'A' turret, they seem to have been very short-lived. Probably not surprising that they were removed as the war was over and they would likely have been difficult to access for maintenance during the long sea voyage back home to Britain.
Howe's final AA armament is another thing I'm trying to pin down. As it will vary for each of the colour schemes. According to R.A. Burt's book she received eight single 40mm Bofors in 1945. That seems too low a number based on the British Pathé footage from Portsmouth. Perhaps he meant to say eighteen and not eight? He also says it is not certain Howe received the Quadruple 40mm PomPoms on the quarterdeck. The British Pathé footage clearly shows she did indeed receive them.
Norman Friedman's British Battleships book says she received eighteen single 40mm Bofors in Durban in 1945. And he provides a plan view showing them. I think it is correct bar the positions of two of them adjacent to and slightly aft of 'B' Turret. Based on the British Pathé footage (and the photo from Colombo) there should be Quadruple 40mm PomPoms in this position. Therefore the Bofors should possibly be forward of the breakwater emanating from 'B' Turret barbette rather than aft of it? Friedman's plan has also omitted the quadruple 40mm PomPoms from the quarterdeck as well as those from opposite 'B' turret.
As far as I can make out, the eighteen single Bofors were placed as follows working from forward to aft:
Two aft of the forward breakwater, forward of the muzzles of 'A' Turret.
Two on 'A' Turret's roof, one on each side of and just forward of the protruding barrels of 'B' Turret.
Two forward of the aft breakwater, one on either side roughly opposite the gap between 'A' and 'B' Barbettes.
Two on the signal platform on the forward superstructure, one on either side.
Two on the aft funnel platform / emergency steering platform, one on either side.
Two right aft on the aft superstructure opposite the 14 inch main gun director, one on either side.
Five on the quarterdeck aft of the muzzles of 'Y' Turret, two on either side, final one mounted centrally on a cylindrical raised platform.
One right aft on the quarterdeck mounted centrally.
I found another photo of Howe in Cape Town in 1945 here:
http://allatsea.co.za/musings/past_pics/Photo cropped and re-uploaded here for ease of viewing and discussion:
Attachment:
Howe 1945 Cape Town.jpg
Based on that, by the time Howe reached Portsmouth in January 1946 it seems four single Bofors had been removed, the two from 'A' Turret's roof and the two from the deck between 'A' and 'B' Barbettes.