The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (250748) Flight Lieutenant William Ellis Newton VC, No. 22 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force, Second World.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (250748) Flight Lieutenant William Ellis Newton VC, No. 22 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force, Second World.

250748 Flight Lieutenant William Ellis Newton VC, No. 22 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force
KIA 29 March 1943

Today we remember and pay tribute to Flight Lieutenant William Ellis Newton.

Fondly known as “Bill”, William Newton was born in Melbourne suburb of St Kilda on 8 June 1919, the youngest child of dentist Charles Ellis Newton and his second wife Minnie. He attended Melbourne Grammar School, where he was a popular all-round sportsman. As well as playing golf and water polo, he was vice-captain of the school football team and represented his school in swimming, he played state-level cricket for Victoria.

Despite struggling with his schoolwork, he completed his intermediate certificate, but gave up further study when his father died of a heart attack, and began working in a silk warehouse.

In February 1940 he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. He had tried to enlist when he turned 18 in 1937, but his mother had refused to give permission. With Australia now at war, she agreed. His brothers also enlisted, John in the Royal Australian Navy and Lindsay in the Army Medical Corps.

After initial training, William Newton was commissioned as a pilot officer on 28 June 1940. After advanced training, he was selected to be a flying instructor, training students under the Empire Air Training Scheme at a training school near Wagga Wagga.

Newton found instruction frustrating, and longed for a combat assignment. He received his wish in February 1942, being posted to No. 22 Squadron, which was flying Boston light bombers from Port Moresby.

On 1 January 1943 Newton undertook the first of 52 operational sorties. Most of these were “against difficult targets under intense tropical weather conditions and under enemy fire”. He was known as a “well-balanced, all round and highly trained and developed” officer who had a “cheerful, natural and infectious personality which influenced his fellow officers and men with whom he came into contact”.

He possessed remarkable courage as a pilot, gaining a reputation for driving straight at his targets and always leaving them in flames. This earnt him the nickname “the Firebug”.

On 16 March 1943, while Newton and his crew were leading an attack on Salamaua through intense shell-fire from the ground, their Boston bomber was hit repeatedly. The aircraft suffered bad tears to its fuselage and wings, it had a hole in its petrol tank, its engines were badly damaged, and one tyre was burst. Nevertheless, he continued the attack, flying nearly 200 miles to base and, despite the flat tyre, making a safe landing.

Two days later Newton attempted an attack on the same location. This time his aircraft was hit by flak and burst into flames. Newton flew along the shore to bring it safely down on the water. Sergeant Eastwood was killed in the crash, but Newton and Sergeant Lyon escaped, swimming to shore.

The following day Newton and Lyon were captured by a company of the Imperial Japanese Navy. They were taken to Lae, where Sergeant Lyon was executed by bayonet. Newton was returned to Salamaua and beheaded on 29 March 1943. He was 23 years old.

William Newton was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his “great valour and devotion to duty”, the only Victoria Cross awarded to a member of the RAAF in the Pacific theatre.

On his last home leave William Newton mentioned to his mother that he didn’t think she would see him again. He said: “If you hear – when you hear – there’s a bottle of sherry on the mantelpiece. Have a drink for me, will you? Don’t make a fuss.” Minnie Ellis received her son’s Victoria Cross on his behalf. His body was later recovered and his remains now lie in Lae Cemetery.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Flight Lieutenant William Ellis Newton, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section