NEWTON, Jack MacArthur

NAME                  NEWTON                 Jack MacArthur
RANK                  Warrant Officer II / Bombadier          78908                                                                                                                RAF Group 5     RAF Bomber Command                                                                                        SQUADRON       RAF No. 44 Rhodesia 
                            “the king’s thunderbolts are righteous”
                            Waddington Airfield in Lincolnshire
                            Squadron Markings KM S                                                                                                        Born                    February 7, 1920 - Empress - Alberta                                                                              Residence          Gorrie - Ontario                                                                                                                                Died                    March 27, 1943          23 years  1 month                                                                          Cemetery            Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery - Charottenburg - Germany
                            I D 1
Parents               Mr. Reginald and Euretta Newton - Gorrie

Jack was born on February 7, 1920 in Empress, Alberta. The Newton family moved to Huron County when he was very young as he went to public school in Gorrie from 1926-33 and then to Continuation School in Wroxeter 1933-35. From the research we can not determine if Jack had any brothers or sisters as a number of documents are missing from his file. As he grew up he enjoyed hunting and fishing. His hobby was mechanics. He enjoyed tennis, hockey and swimming. During his childhood he had the measles, mumps and whooping cough. The family would have attended Gorrie United Church. We knew he was in the Militia under the Non Permanent Active Militia Act with the 99th Battery of Royal Canadian Artillery with the rank of gunner. His profession after his education and before his enlistment was a baker.

Canada

On April 22, 1940 Jack  attested into the RCAF in London. When he enlisted he stood 5' 10" tall and weighed 150 pounds. He had a fair complexion with grey eyes and light brown hair.                                                    Then on January3, 1941 he arrived at No. Manning Depot in Toronto. His rank was now Aircraftsmen 2. He stayed here until January 21 and received his Air Gunner Badge at which time he was posted to No. 1 AMD in Picton - Ontario until March 18. Then it was back to No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto from March 19-30. The next posting was from March 31-May 26 at No.17 Equipment Depot in Ottawa. On May 27-October 11 he was posted to No. 1 Wireless School in Montreal. While here here received the rank of Leading Aircraftsman. He was 3rd in a class of 107 men with a 82% average. From October 12-November 9 he was posted to No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School at Jarvis and it was here he received the rank of Sergeant. He was 5th in a class of 38 men with an average of 75%. On November 10-December 12 Sergeant Newton was posted to No.1 "Y" Depot in Halifax. Sergeant Newton on December 12, 1941 went to the RAF Training Pool and on the same day embarked from Halifax and Canada.

Overseas

On December 26 he disembarked in the United Kingdom and reported to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre.    Sergeant Newton was then posted to No.1 Signals School January 22-March 24, 1942 based at                  RAF Cranwell - Lincolnshire. His second posting March 24-June 4 was to No.19 OTU based at RAF Kinloss on the Moray Firth - Scotland. Here they trained for night bombing missions. On June 4 Sergeant Newton was posted to RAF 44 Squadron based at RAF Waddington - Lincolnshire. Between July 16 and November he was at bombing school. He received the rank of Flight Sergeant on September 1 followed by the rank of Warrant Officer II on November 8,1942.                                                                                                                                He returned to the Squadron On January 5, 1943. From the beginning of 1943 until he lost his life on March 27th Warrant Officer Newton had completed 30 missions which was remarkable. He had volunteered for the upcoming mission as a gunner. 

In the field                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The target for the mission of March 26/27, 1943 was Duisburg. The city had chemical, iron and steel industries. Weather conditions over the target was mostly fully covered in cloud. The mission was deemed unsuccessful with the bombs falling over a widely scattered area and in part was because a number of the Pathfinder Mosquitos had mechanical issues and did not reach the target.  445 bombers were assigned to this mission.                                                                                                                                                    Lancaster Mk i W 4839  KM S with 125 hours of flying time was over Doberitz on the way to the target when it was shot down over Doberitz and crashed near Grossbeeren in Germany, approximately 10 miles ese of Potsdam. From research it is quite possible Lanacaster W 4839 was shot down by the Luftwaffe Stab/NJG 5 based at Doberitz using Me110s.

RAF Squadron No. 44 had the third highest casualty rate of RAF Bomber Command

Warrant Officer Newton is honoured and remembered on the Canadian Fallen site at www.canadianfallen.ca/   80252/NEWTON, on the Gorrie United Church Memorial Plaque, on the Canadisn Virtual War Memorial, on the Fordwich cenotaph and at the RCAF Bomber Command Museum. In addition, the book The King's Thunderbolts which includes the operational record of the Squadron and the Squadron Roll of Honour.

In January of 1945 Mrs. Euretta Newton received the Memorial Cross and in June of 1946 Warrant Officer Newton was issued the 1939-45 Star, the Aircrew Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.

On his gravestone the following words are inscribed…”He lived his life to the fullest: May God grant that
he rest in peace.”
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