Guy Newton

Percival Guy Haig Newton, (29 September 1917 – 24 July 2018) was a flying ace of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with the destruction of at least five enemy aircraft. Born in Christchurch, Newton joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 but did his flying training in New Zealand with the RNZAF. By the time his training was complete, the Second World War had started and he transferred to the RNZAF. He spent several months on instructing duties before being posted to No. 17 Squadron as a flight commander. In July 1943 he became commanding officer of the squadron and served in the South West Pacific theatre for several months before returning to New Zealand. He spent the rest of the war on staff duties, and was promoted to wing commander in 1945. On returning to civilian life, he worked in the engineering industry and later joined General Motors New Zealand. He subsequently held senior roles with subsidiaries of General Motors before retiring to Melbourne, Australia, in 1980. He died there in 2018, aged 100. 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.