William Ellis Newton
Flight, -Lieutenant. 22 Squadron. Royal Australian Air Force
- Register No.
- 926 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Flight (register: Flight Lieutenant) all Flight Lieutenants →
- Unit
- -Lieutenant. 22 Squadron. Royal Australian Air Force (register: No. 22 Squadron RAAF) all No. 22 Squadron RAAF VCs →
- Date of action
- 16–18 March 1943 on this day → all of 1943 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 19th October 1943 on this day → all of 1943 →
- Born
- 8th June 1919 at St Kilda, Victoria, Australia
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- at Lae War Cemetery, New Guinea, also the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, at St Kilda Presbyterian Church and the Victoria Golf Club, Melbourne, Australia
Digest of citation
Flight-Lieutenant Newton's aircraft was repeatedly hit whilst leading an attack at a low level on Japanese buildings and fuel dumps in New Guinea. In spite of this, he continued through the heavy fire and released his bombs. His aircraft was severely damaged, crippling it, but he managed to return to his base. The following day he returned to bomb a single building in the same target area, but this time the plane burst into flames and with great difficulty he managed to crash-land in the sea. Flight-Lieutenant Newton and his Flight Sergeant were captured by the Japanese. They were both executed on 29th March 1943
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
NEWTON, William Ellis. (reg No. 926).
Flight-Lieutenant. 22 Squadron. Royal Australian Air Force.
London Gazetted on 19th October 1943.
Born on 8th June 1919 at St Kilda, Victoria, Australia. Executed by the Japanese on 29th March 1943 at Salamaua,New Guinea.
Memorial on grave at Lae War Cemetery, New Guinea, also the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, at St Kilda Presbyterian Church and the Victoria Golf Club, Melbourne, Australia.
Digest of Citation reads: Flight-Lieutenant Newton's aircraft was repeatedly hit whilst leading an attack at a low level on Japanese buildings and fuel dumps in New Guinea. In spite of this, he continued through the heavy fire and released his bombs. His aircraft was severely damaged, crippling it, but he managed to return to his base. The following day he returned to bomb a single building in the same target area, but this time the plane burst into flames and with great difficulty he managed to crash-land in the sea. Flight-Lieutenant Newton and his Flight Sergeant were captured by the Japanese. They were both executed on 29th March 1943..
Executed by the Japanese on 29th March 1943 at Salamaua,New Guinea.
Register note: Captured by Japanese forces and beheaded 11 days later
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Lae War Cemetery, New Guinea, also the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, at St Kilda Presbyterian Church and the Victoria Golf Club, Melbourne, Australia
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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