Royal New Zealand Air Force War Graves in Noord-Holland
Heemskerk Protestant Churchyard
Norman Thomas Newton, DFC
Plot 1. Grave 308.
P/O N.T. Newton, DFC - 416526
Son of Thomas Henry Newton and of Lily Rose Newton (nee Reading), of Wellington City, New Zealand.
Son of Thomas Henry Newton and of Lily Rose Newton (nee Reading), of Wellington City, New Zealand.
P/O Norman Newton, DFC, was the captain of Lancaster B.II, DS835/'KO-K' of 115 Squadron, RAF Witchford. The Lancaster had left its base at 17.12 hrs in the late afternoon of 16th December, 1943, for a sortie to Berlin. Over the dunes in the Kruisberg area the aircraft exploded and wreckage fell in a large area. There were no survivors. The crew was buried here in Heemskerk Protestant Churchyard on the 20th December.
P/O Norman Thomas Newton, DFC, RNZAF
Sgt Marcus Seatter, RAF
P/O Ernest John Hamlin Downs, RAF
Sgt Geoffrey Arthur William Ray, RAF
Sgt Islwyn Lewis, RAF
Sgt Alfred George Robert Cowdrey, RAF
Sgt Ronald Hawkins, RAF
P/O Norman Thomas Newton, DFC, RNZAF
Sgt Marcus Seatter, RAF
P/O Ernest John Hamlin Downs, RAF
Sgt Geoffrey Arthur William Ray, RAF
Sgt Islwyn Lewis, RAF
Sgt Alfred George Robert Cowdrey, RAF
Sgt Ronald Hawkins, RAF
On the memorial board in the cemetery, close to the war graves, the text reads that a fire had started due to a technical fault in the new Lancaster. The heat of the fire caused the bombs to detonate , resulting in the aircraft to explode. Parts of the Lancaster came down in a large area near the Kruisberg. Close to the Kruisberg another memorial board reminds to this tragic event.
Note.
In the Nachtjagd Archive (1943, Part 3, p.100) it is stated that this Lancaster was one of three aircraft on this raid that fell victim to anti-aircraft fire and exploded over the Kruisberg.
In the Nachtjagd Archive (1943, Part 3, p.100) it is stated that this Lancaster was one of three aircraft on this raid that fell victim to anti-aircraft fire and exploded over the Kruisberg.