Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/Bill Newton

Bill Newton was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, honoured for his actions as a bomber pilot in Papua New Guinea during March 1943. Raised in Melbourne, he joined the Citizen Military Forces in 1938 and enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in February 1940. He served as a flying instructor in Australia before being posted to No. 22 Squadron, which began operating Boston light bombers in New Guinea late in 1942. Having just taken part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, he was on his fifty-second mission when he was shot down. Newton was still posted as missing when given the Victoria Cross in October 1943. It later emerged that he was captured by the Japanese and beheaded on 29 March. Newton was the only Australian airman to receive a Victoria Cross for action in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, and the sole Australian to be so decorated while flying with an RAAF squadron. (Full article...)

Most recent similar article(s): Raymond Brownell, another RAAF pilot, is scheduled for May 17
Main editors: Ian Rose
Promoted: June 12, 2010
Reasons for nomination: 105th birthday
Support as nominator. Z1720 (talk) 20:01, 23 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]