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XIV. An Act of Treachery by the German SS
Ristedt, Germany

The death of my brother
Lt W F Newton - 5th Royal Tank Regiment

17th June 1944

Joined the 5th Royal Tank Regiment from the Westminster Dragoons

21st August 1944

Tank hit by armour piercing shot at Fevaques – tank recovered

Commander Lt W F Newton slightly wounded
Crew – Tpr David Skidmore 1421991 – killed later
Tpr Benjamin Inwards 7926470 – wounded, died 22 August 1944
Tpr Jukes 7941476
Tpr G Carter 2057052

9th April 1945

Killed in action 9th April 1945
The event is described in THE DESERT RATS, The History of the 7th Armoured Division’ by Major General G L Verney D.S.O., M.V.O. on page 274 also CHURCHILL’S DESERT RATS by Patrick Delaforce on page 169 and PRESS ON REGARDLESS The Story of the Fifth Royal Tank Regiment in World War Two by Edward Wilson pages 459 and 478 (Note 4 - Lt W F Newton. For some unknown reason, Newton’s death is not recorded in the Regimental Casualty List. It is, however, rightly described as an act of treachery in General Verney’s THE DESERT RATS)

A letter from Rev A Dickson CF dated 17 April 1945 explained the circumstances of his death and an extract is as follows: -
“I regret to say that the circumstances of his death were particularly tragic. He was sent on reconnaissance (he had joined the unit Reconnaissance Squadron a few days before) and had taken two prisoners – SS they were. They were coming in with hands up when suddenly one of them fired on your son and killed him instantaneously. I must say that the two “prisoners” paid for the treachery with their lives. Unfortunately our unit was withdrawn immediately afterwards from that sector and so (as the ground was still under fire we had no opportunity to arrange for his burial. But I presume this has been carried out by the unit which took over from us”.

A letter from the Colonel – Lt Col A R Leakey dated 4th May 1945 gave the following information: -
“In command of a section of Daimler Scout cars he was sent to reconnoitre a route to the West of SYKE which was 10 miles SSE of BREMEN. Not far from SYKE (RISTEDT map ref 691 834 Bremen Sheet H/3 1/100.000). Not far from SYKE this patrol met the enemy in hastily dug positions. To test the strength of the positions they engaged the enemy and killed several. The two Germans put their hands up. Your son went forward on foot to bring them in. Just as he was approaching them they dropped down, seized their weapons and shot your son killing him instantly. His car and the other car went forward and managed to kill the two Germans concerned. But they were heavily engaged and had to pull back before they could get your son’s body. Not long after this the Regt was taken away and went to fight in a completely different area”.

A letter from Capt. James Dickinson 825 Mil/Gov Dept. B.L.A. dated 11th May – extract reads: -
“ Recently I had the experience of being captured by a bunch of Hitler Youth – most of them about 14-18 years old, and I spent a month in a German Prison Camp north of Bremen. The enclosed letters and photos were in possession of the leader of the Hitler Jugend who said they belonged to an English Officer he saw killed instantly by a piece of shrapnel. He took the papers to see if he could find anything of military importance”.

An unidentified headless corpse had been found near a crossroads and was assumed to be Lt Newton.

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