Lieutenant Colonel Augustus Charles Newman, (19 August 1904 – 26 April 1972) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer and recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

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forces.

Details

Newman was educated at

Bancroft's School Bancroft's School is a co-educational private day school in Woodford Green, London. The school has around 1,100 pupils aged between 7 and 18, around 250 of whom are pupils of the Preparatory School and 850 of whom are pupils of the Senior Sch ...

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

. On leaving school he joined a firm of Civil Engineering and Public Works Contractors and was commissioned into the part-time Territorial Army in 1925, rising to the rank of major by 1939. He was 37 years old and a lieutenant colonel in The Essex Regiment,

, attached to No. 2 Commando during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the

(VC). On 28 March 1942 in the attack on St. Nazaire,

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, Lieutenant Colonel Newman was in charge of the military forces and he was one of the first ashore, leading his men and directing operations "utterly regardless of his own safety", according to his citation. Under his inspiring leadership the troops held vastly superior numbers of the enemy at bay until the demolition parties had done their work. "The outstanding gallantry and devotion to duty of this fearless officer, his brilliant leadership and initiative, were largely responsible for the success of this perilous operation", the citation noted. The colonel then attempted to fight through into open country and not until all the ammunition was spent were he and his men overwhelmed and taken prisoner.

Subsequent career

After the Second World War, Newman continued in the Territorial Army, subsequently commanding 21 (Artists) Special Air Service Regiment. He served as Deputy Lieutenant of Essex, 1946 to 1948. On 1 October 1959 he was appointed

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

in the

Engineer and Railway Staff Corps The Engineer and Logistic Staff Corps is a part of the Royal Engineers in the British Army Reserve. It is intended to provide advisers on engineering and logistics to the British Army at a senior level. Following its work creating the NHS Nightin ...

. His VC is on display in the

Lord Ashcroft Gallery The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was p ...

at the

Imperial War Museum The Imperial War Museum (IWM), currently branded "Imperial War Museums", is a British national museum. It is headquartered in London, with five branches in England. Founded as the Imperial War Museum in 1917, it was intended to record the civ ...

, London.

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Kent)''

''(detailed description of the action)''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Newman, Augustus 1904 births 1972 deaths Burials in Kent British Army Commandos officers British Army personnel of World War II British World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross Knights of the Legion of Honour Deputy lieutenants of Essex Engineer and Railway Staff Corps officers Essex Regiment officers Officers of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Bancroft's School People from Chigwell Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Special Air Service officers World War II prisoners of war held by Germany British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Essex