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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 125

A scarce Second World War and post-war campaign group of eight awarded to Master Aircrew Quarter Master A. A. Newton, Royal Air Force, who flew operationally in Beverley aircraft of No. 84 Squadron in Aden

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Arabian Peninsula (617359 Sgt. A. A. Newton, R.A.F.); General Service 1962-2007, 2 clasps, Radfan, South Arabia, the second clasp loose upon riband (617359 M.A. QM A. A. Newton (617359) R.A.F.); Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., E.II.R. (617359 Sgt. A. A. Newton, R.A.F.), mounted as worn, excepting the last, very fine and better (8)

Alexander Atkinson Newton was born in South Shields, Co. Durham on 16 October 1917 and joined the Royal Air Force as an Aircraftman 2 in August 1938. Following active service in the Second World War - in No. 18 Squadron in North Africa from November 1942 and in No. 38 Squadron in Italy from January 1945 - he was demobilised in the latter year.

Having then re-enlisted in June 1951, when he was appointed Sergeant, Newton was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in June 1957. Posted to Aden with No. 84 Squadron in June of the following year, he served as an Air Quarter Master in the unit's Beverley aircraft, he and his crew being awarded the Lord Trophy in 1960, a competition prize for low-level flying, precision navigation and paratroop dropping; Flight Magazine, 16 September 1960, refers.

Just such skills were in demand on active service in Aden, where the Beverley - amiably known as 'The Flying Block of Flats' - performed prodigious operational feats. Moreover, as recounted by one member of No. 84 Squadron, nor were such operations risk free:

'The Egyptians and Yeminis used to take pot shots at us with rifles but fortunately they were rotten shots over the distance. Matters changed when they hauled an 88mm. mortar to the top of the ridge and started dropping shells on us, but the army commander called Aden to send a couple of Hunters to sort them out … On one occasion I felt in danger while flying when holes started to appear in the fuselage as we descended into Riyan. It was .303 fire but by our good luck the gunman could not have allowed for the speed of the aircraft and all the bullets struck aft of the undercarriage … '

Tour-expired in the summer of 1960, Newton returned to the U.K. and was advanced to Flight Sergeant in May 1962 and to Master Aircrew Q.M. in January 1964. Subsequent postings to 46 and 47 Squadrons in the mid-1960s witnessed him returning to familiar territory, when he was deployed to Radfan and South Arabia.

He died at Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire in December 1974; sold with copied service record which confirms all the awards.


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Sold for
£450

Starting price
£240