Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Warrant Officer Air Gunner R. G. Newman, 7 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who was shot down over Holland and taken Prisoner of War during an operation to Cologne on 2-3 February 1943, joining the Caterpillar Club in the process

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45; together with the related miniature awards (the 1939-45 Star with Battle of Britain clasp); and the recipient’s Caterpillar Club Badge, gold with ’ruby’ eyes, the reverse engraved ‘W/O R. G. Newman’, extremely fine (3) £500-£700

Reginald Graham Newman joined the Royal Air Force on 13 October 1937 and served as a Warrant Officer Air Gunner with 7 Squadron during the Second World War. On the night of 2-3 February 1943 his Stirling R9264, piloted by Squadron Leader W. A. Smith, DFC, was shot down by an enemy night fighter piloted by Oblt Reinhold Knacke whilst on an operation to Cologne, and crashed at Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, Holland, 13km south east of Rotterdam. Five of the crew, including Smith, were killed, and the two survivors, Newman and Flight Sergeant J. P. Bragg, Royal Canadian Air Force, were both taken Prisoner of War. Knacke himself was killed in action later that same night.

The Stirling was equipped with the new experimental H2S radar system (the Cologne raid was only the second operational raid in which it had been used), and the set from Newman’s Stirling was the first set to fall into enemy hands. An account of how Squadron Leader Smith tried to save his aircraft was communicated by Newman from his P.O.W. Camp.

Newman was liberated on 22 April 1945 and was discharged from the Royal Air Force on 25 September 1945.

Sold together with a group photograph of the recipient with his crew.