Гай Ньютон (офицер RNZAF)

Гай Ньютон
Ньютон в своем Kittyhawk, который переворачивается, ноябрь 1942 г.
Рожденный	( 1917-09-27 ) 27 сентября 1917 г. Крайстчерч , Новая Зеландия
Умер	24 июля 2018 г. (2018-07-24) (в возрасте 100 лет) Мельбурн, Австралия
Верность	Новая Зеландия
Услуга/ ветвь	Королевские ВВС Новой Зеландии
Годы службы	1939–1946
Rank	Wing Commander
Commands	No. 17 Squadron
Battles/wars	Second World War Guadalcanal campaign New Georgia campaign
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross Mention in Despatches
Other work	Businessman

Percival Guy Haig Newton , DFC (29 сентября 1917 года - 24 июля 2018 года) был летящим тузом Королевских ВВС Новой Зеландии (RNZAF) во время Второй мировой войны . Ему приписывали разрушение не менее пяти вражеских самолетов.

Родился в Крайстчерче , Ньютон присоединился к Королевским ВВС в 1939 году, но прошел тренировки в Новой Зеландии с RNZAF. К тому времени, когда его тренировка была завершена, началась Вторая мировая война, и он перешел в RNZAF. Он провел несколько месяцев на инструктаж обязанности, прежде чем его отправили в эскадрилью № 17 в качестве командира полета . В июле 1943 года он стал командиром эскадрильи и служил в театре юго -западной части Тихого океана, в течение нескольких месяцев а затем вернулся в Новую Зеландию. Он провел оставшуюся часть войны с обязанностями персонала и был повышен до командира крыла в 1945 году. В возвращении в гражданскую жизнь он работал в инженерной индустрии, а затем присоединился к General Motors New Zealand . Впоследствии он занимал старшие должности с дочерними компаниями General Motors, прежде чем уйти в Мельбурн , Австралия, в 1980 году. Он умер там в 2018 году, в возрасте 100 лет.

Early life

Percival Guy Haig Newton, known as Guy, was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 29 September 1917, one of seven children of Arthur and Margaret Newton. He was educated at Rangiora High School and went on to study at Christ's College in Christchurch for his final year of secondary school. He worked as an engineering draughtsman for the Christchurch branch of the Department of Public Works while attending night school at the University of Canterbury. Keenly interested in flying, he enlisted in the Civil Reserve of Pilots in 1937.

Subsequently Newton applied for a short service commission in the Royal Air Force (RAF). His application was accepted and in April 1939 he began his flight training with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). He trained at Wigram Aerodrome and received a temporary commission as a pilot officer in June.

Second World War

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Newton was transferred to the RNZAF on a short-service commission instead of proceeding to the United Kingdom to serve with the RAF. Initially retained on the staff at the RNZAF base at Wigram, he was subsequently posted to No. 2 Intermediate Flying Training School after training as an instructor in early 1940 and having been confirmed in the rank of pilot officer. He was promoted to flying officer in January 1941.

A Fighter Operational Training Unit (OTU) was formed at Okahea in March 1942 and Newton was sent there as an instructor. The OTU was equipped with North American Harvard trainer aircraft when established but these were supplemented with P-40 Kittyhawk fighters when they became available to the RNZAF from May. The month after his arrival at the OTU he was promoted to flight lieutenant. In August, he married Majorie Hutton, a clerk in the Royal New Zealand Navy, at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul.

In October 1942, No. 17 Squadron was formed at Ohakea and Newton was appointed one of its flight commanders. Equipped with Kittyhawks, the squadron trained in New Zealand for several months until, in July 1943, it deployed to the South West Pacific, initially based at Espiritu Santo.

Service in South West Pacific

By this time Newton was commanding officer of No. 17 Squadron, having been promoted to squadron leader. At Santo, the squadron took over the defence duties for the region from another RNZAF unit, No. 14 Squadron. In mid-September, No. 17 Squadron deployed to Guadalcanal to relieve No. 16 Squadron, which returned to New Zealand for rest. Arriving on Guadalcanal on 11 September, No. 17 Squadron was to be engaged in operations supporting the United States and New Zealand ground forces in the region. It also carried out bomber-escort missions and patrols over Allied shipping. On his first sortie from Guadalcanal, on 12 September, the engine of Newton's Kittyhawk caught fire and he had to bail out. Landing near Wana Wana Island, he was picked up by natives in a canoe and was able to return to the squadron the next day.

On 11 October 1943, flying south of Shortland Island while escorting American Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers that had attacked targets on Bougainville Island, Newton led his section in attacking some Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters that were harassing a lone Kittyhawk. In the resulting engagement, he destroyed one Zero, which was observed crashing into the sea by Newton's wingman. No. 17 Squadron left its area of operations on 20 October to return to New Zealand. This ended Newton's first tour of operations, for which he was mentioned in despatches.

No. 17 Squadron returned to Santo in November 1943 and then moved forward to Ondonga on New Georgia. It began to be involved in operations against Rabaul as part of the New Zealand Fighter Wing. On 24 December, a large attack was mounted on Rabaul and No. 17 Squadron, along with No. 16 Squadron, was tasked with carrying out a sweep as a precursor to a bombing attack. It would prove to be the most successful day, in terms of enemy aircraft shot down, in the history of the RNZAF. Newton destroyed two Zeroes and claimed another as probably destroyed. Other aircraft of his squadron shot down seven more Japanese aircraft during the operation; those of No. 16 Squadron shot down three. While No. 17 Squadron was escorting Dauntless bombers attacking Tobera Airfield on 9 January, Newton destroyed two Zeroes.

Later war service

No. 17 Squadron's second tour of operations completed prematurely at the end of January, owing to several casualties and a high sickness rate among its personnel. Newton was posted back to New Zealand to serve in the Directorate of Operations at the Air Department in Wellington. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in April 1944 "in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy in the South West Pacific area". In April 1945, he was promoted to wing commander. He became the RNZAF's Director of Operations in August but the war ended shortly afterwards. He was credited with five Japanese aircraft shot down and another probably destroyed. He and Geoffrey Fisken, who also destroyed five Japanese aircraft, were the most successful fighter pilots of the RNZAF in the Southwest Pacific area of operations.

Later life

Служба Ньютона в RNZAF прекратилась в апреле 1946 года, и он отправился в резерв пилотов, где оставался до декабря 1950 года. Тем временем он вернулся в инженерную профессию, работая в Крайстчерче. В 1952 году он начал работать в General Motors New Zealand , став главным инженером компании три года спустя. Он переехал в Мельбурн в Австралии в 1957 году и поднялся, чтобы стать генеральным менеджером Отдела Frigidaire в 1963 году. Несколько лет спустя он снова переехал, на этот раз в Лондон в качестве управляющего директора GM Limited. Он также занимал высшие должности с Vauxhall Motors и немецкой компанией Adam Opel AG , а позже был президентом GM France. В то время он был самым старшим неамериканцем в компании.

Ньютон ушел в отставку в 1980 году, поселившись в Мельбурне. Он умер 24 июля 2018 года, пережил его троих детей. Его жена предопределила его в 1998 году.

Ссылки

• Хансон, CM (2001). Такими поступками: награды и награды в Королевских ВВС Новой Зеландии 1923–1999 гг . Крайстчерч, Новая Зеландия: Volplane Press. ISBN  0-473-07301-3 .
• Росс, JMS (1955). Королевские ВВС Новой Зеландии . Официальная история Новой Зеландии во Второй мировой войне 1939–45 . Веллингтон: Исторические публикации. OCLC   912824475 .
• Рудж, Крис (2003). Воздух-воздух: история, стоящая за боевыми претензиями Air-a-a-air of RNZAF . Lyttelton: Adventure Air. ISBN  0-473-08119-9 .
• Берега, Кристофер; Уильямс, Клайв (1994). Айсы высокой: дань уважения самым заметным пилотам -истребителям британских и Содружества во Второй мировой войне . Лондон: Grub Street. ISBN  1-898697-00-0 .