For Valour : Flight Lieutenant William (Bill) Ellis Newton (Aus. 250748) VC, Royal Australian Air Force
8 June 1919 – 29 March 1943
Newton in flying kit (RAF Museum PC/76/23/5)
As well as providing thousands of airmen to the RAF to fight in Europe and the Mediterranean area, Australia had its own war much nearer home: defending their homeland and fighting the Japanese in New Guinea and the South West Pacific. Newton was the only Australian airman to have been awarded his VC under the direct control of the RAAF, as against serving as part of the larger RAF, and on the advice of the Australian Government. And, in common with Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC, RAF, his award was for lengthy and dedicated service, rather than one single act.
Newton’s Medal Bar (Australian War Memorial Museum RELAWM 32315.001)
Throughout the period mentioned in the London Gazette, Newton was a member of 22 Squadron, RAAF, based at Ward’s Field, Port Moresby, flying Douglas Boston A-20 aircraft on ‘intruder’ missions. On 17 March 1943, Newton was captain and pilot of Boston serial A28-3, coded DU-Y. He was tasked with attacking Japanese port and storage facilities at Salamaua on the north coast.
The London Gazette Friday 15th October 1943
‘The KING has been graciously pleased, on the advice of Australian Ministers, to confer the VICTORIA CROSS on the undermentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery: — Flight Lieutenant William Ellis NEWTON (Aus. 748), Royal Australian Air Force, No. 22 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron (missing).
Flight Lieutenant Newton served with No. 22 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, in New Guinea from May, 1942, to March, 1943, and completed 52 operational sorties. Throughout, he displayed great courage and an iron determination to inflict the utmost damage on the enemy. His splendid offensive flying and fighting were attended with brilliant success. Disdaining evasive tactics when under the heaviest fire, he always went straight to his objectives.
He carried out many daring machine-gun attacks on enemy positions involving low-flying over long distances in the face of continuous fire at point-blank range. On three occasions, he dived through intense anti-aircraft fire to release his bombs on important targets on the Salamaua Isthmus. On one of these occasions, his starboard engine failed over the target, but he succeeded in flying back to an airfield 160 miles away.
Douglas Bostons of 22 Squadron RAAF in New Guinea, 1943
(Australian War Memorial Museum AC 0031)
When leading an attack on an objective on 16th March, 1943, he dived through intense and accurate shell fire and his aircraft was hit repeatedly. Nevertheless, he held to his course and bombed his target from a low level. The attack resulted in the destruction of many buildings and dumps, including two 40,000 fuel installations.
Although his aircraft was crippled, with fuselage and wing sections torn, petrol tanks pierced, main-planes and engines seriously damaged, and one of the main tyres flat, Flight Lieutenant Newton managed to fly it back to base and make a successful landing. Despite this harassing experience, he returned next day to the same locality.
His target, this time a single building, was even more difficult but he again attacked with his usual courage and resolution, flying a steady course through a barrage of fire. He scored a hit on the building but at the same moment his aircraft burst into flames. Flight Lieutenant Newton maintained control and calmly turned his aircraft away and flew along the shore.
He saw it as his duty to keep the aircraft in the air as long as he could so as to take his crew as far away as possible from the enemy’s positions. With great skill, he brought his blazing aircraft down on the water. Two members of the crew were able to extricate themselves and were seen swimming to the shore, but the gallant pilot is missing.
According to other air crews who witnessed the occurrence, his escape-hatch was not opened and his dinghy was not inflated. Without regard to his own safety, he had done all that man could do to prevent his crew from falling into enemy hands. Flight Lieutenant Newton’s many examples of conspicuous bravery have rarely been equalled and will serve as a shining inspiration to all who follow him.’
The London Gazette reported him as ‘missing’ but the reality was more tragic. Bowyer’s ‘For Valour’ [see Bibliography] records that Newton and one of his crew, Flight Sergeant Lyon, managed to escape from the sinking aircraft; the third crew member, Sergeant Eastwood, was lost. Both men swam ashore but were soon captured by Japanese troops. John Lyon was executed by the Japanese on 20 March 1943 and his gallant captain, Bill Newton, on 29 March. [Both dates of death confirmed from Commonwealth War Graves Commission records.]
Their graves are tended by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Lae War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea.
His VC is held by the Australian War Memorial Museum. Canberra.
Credits:
- Citation: The London Gazette Friday 15th October 1943
- Additional biographical details: For Valour: The Air VCs Chaz Bowyer, Grub Street Publishing.
