FLTLT · 405875

Benjamin Bernard Newman

Squadron/s: 41 SQN RAF
79 SQN
Rank On Discharge/Death: Flight Lieutenant (FLTLT)
Nickname: Barney
Mustering / Specialisation: Pilot
Date of Birth: 12 Sep 1918
Date of Death: 02 Aug 1945
Contributing Author/s: Phil Listemann author of “The History of the 457 Squadron” and David Hamilton

Updated by Vince Conant December 2013

The Spitfire Association

41 SQN posting record

NEWMAN, Benjamin Bernard 'Barney'
Number 405875
Rank Flying Officer
Nationality Australian
Born Ayr, Queensland, Australia, 12 September 1918
Arrived 12 October 1942
Departed 25 October 1943
Notes FTR/KIFA whilst with 79 Squadron RAAF, 2 August 1945, aged 26; son of Benjamin & Helena I. Newman of Ayr, Qld.
Buried in Grave 28.D.1. of Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia

Aircraft Record

A58-654 HF.VIII MT900 Arrived in Australia on SS Horoata 30/11/44. Rec 1AD ex UK 24/11/44. Rec 9RSU Reserve Pool 22/06/45. Rec 79Sqn RAAF 29/07/45. Lost on Operations 2/08/45 near Tebai River, Halmaheras area . F/O B B Newman 79Sqn a/c hit by AAA and broke up. This was 79 Sqn RAAF final war loss. Wreckage and body retrieval (Cremated and remains buried 5 metres nearby by Japanese) made in 1948 near the head waters of the Tebai River near Titilegon Kampong. SOC 09/08/45. ADF SERIALS

Squadrons in which Benjamin served

Photographs

Morotai, Netherland East Indies. 25 October 1945. Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) B. T. McLaughlin (right), a Catholic RAAF Chaplain, and Flt Lt T. W. Scott (left), an Anglican RAAF Chaplain conduct burial rites for two Australian Spitfire pilots, as one of the caskets is lowered into the ground. 405875 Flt Lt B. B. (Barney) Newman, 79 Squadron, of Ayr, Qld, was killed in action during a strike against a radio station in the Wasile Bay are of Halmahera on 2 August 1945, he was 79 Squadron's last casualty of the war. 432589 Flt Lt E. McL. (Mac) Stevenson, 452 Squadron, of Dubbo, NSW, died in captivity on Halmahera after being tortured by the Japanese. He was captured when he was forced to ditch his Spitfire on a reef close to shore during a strike against Japanese installation on Ternate Island on 13 January 1945. Lowering the casket into the ground (left to right) is 400735 Flt Lt Len S. Reid DFC, 408021 Squadron Leader Ken E. James, Commanding Officer 79 Squadron, and 443666 Flight Sergeant Robert J. (Bob) Davies. Front row, left to right: first five unidentified, Flight Sergeant Jim Davidson, 437523 Flying Officer Hugh Kennare and 408891 Flying Officer Norman A. Smithells. (Donor H. Kennare)

Flying Officer Barney Newman pictured here with No. 41 Squadron’s mascot 'Perkin.' Barney served with this squadron from 12th October 1942 to 25th October 1943, during that time claiming one destroyed Me109, one probable FW190. [Cowell Family – Page 57 of 'Blood Sweat and Valour' a history of No. 41 Squadron by Steve Brew]

Los Negros, Admiralty Islands, New Guinea. August 1944. 405875 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Benjamin Bernard (Barney) Newman, GD pilot, seated in the cockpit of the No. 79 (Squadron) RAAF Spitfire Mk Vc A58-167, code UP-N (RAF No. ES249), (formerly coded UP-N in 1943 and UP-H in 1944 before an accident) on Momote airfield. Flt Lt Newman had previously completed a successful tour of operations with No. 41 Squadron RAF (Squadron of St Omer) in the UK, and was killed in action at Wasile Bay, Halmahera Islands, Netherlands East Indies on 2 August 1945 - the last wartime casualty of No. 79 Squadron

Morotai, Netherland East Indies. 25 October 1945. Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) B. T. McLaughlin (left), a Catholic RAAF Chaplain, and Flt Lt T. W. Scott (right) an Anglican RAAF Chaplain lead the funeral procession for two Australian Spitfire pilots. 405875 Flt Lt B. B. (Barney) Newman, 79 Squadron, of Ayr, Qld, was killed in action during a strike against a radio station in the Wasile Bay area of the Halmaheras on 2 August 1945, he was 79 Squadron's last casualty of the war. The casket containing his cremated remains was carried by 408021 Squadron Leader Ken E. James, Commanding Officer of 79 Squadron (right, behind Flt Lt Scott). 432589 Flt Lt E. McL. (Mac) Stevenson, 452 Squadron, of Dubbo, NSW, died on 14 April 1945 in captivity on Halmahera after being tortured by the Japanese. He was captured when he was forced to ditch his Spitfire on a reef close to shore during a strike against Japanese installation on Ternate Island on 13 January 1945. The casket carrying his remains was carried by 443666 Flight Sergeant Robert J. (Bob) Davies (left, behind Flt Lt McLaughlin). (Donor H. Kennare)

The funeral service for pilots FLTLT Barney Newman and FLTLT Mac Stevenson