Flight Lieutenant William Ellis Newton V.C. Print Page

A plaque located on the Victoria Golf Club Honour Roll commemorates William Ellis Newton, a member of the club who was awarded the Victoria Cross during World War Two. He was the only Royal Australian Air Force recipient of the Victoria Cross in the Pacific thea­tre during World War Two.

William Ellis (Bill) Newton, VC (1919 –1943) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to a member of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. He was honoured for his actions as a bomber pilot in Papua New Guinea during March 1943 when, despite intense anti-aircraft fire, he pressed home a series of attacks on the Salamaua Isthmus, the last of which saw him forced to ditch his aircraft in the sea. Newton was still officially posted as missing when the award was made in October 1943. It later emerged that he had been taken captive by the Japanese, and executed by beheading on 29 March.

He attended Melbourne Grammar School and enlisted into Royal Australian Air Force (R.A.A.F.) on 5 February 1940, and after flying train­ing, became a flying instructor before being posted to 22 Squadron RAAF, based in Port Mo­resby in May 1942.  He flew 52 missions in Boston aircraft.  

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