Reginald James Newman was the son of Walter Lawrence Newman and Annie Emily Lavinia Newman of Waitara.
After leaving New Plymouth Boy’s High School in 1933 he worked on his family’s Tikorangi farm before heading off for a working holiday to Australia.
Once there he worked on sheep stations and became an enthusiastic cyclist, covering more than 1500 miles in recreational cycling. When it came time for him to return to New Zealand, he cycled from Queensland to Sydney to board his ship home.
When World War Two was declared he enlisted in the RNZAF and trained at Bell Block and Ohakea. From New Zealand he was posted to the Far East Station with the 243 Squadron.
He was patrolling in Brewster Buffalo aircraft at Kallang Airport Singapore during the RAF’s defence of Singapore early in 1942. During an air battle on 12 January 1942 Reginald Newman was wounded in the leg while tackling 14 Japanese fighters single-handedly. His wounded leg forced him to land his aircraft and he died from additional injuries received in the crash landing. Witnesses to his crash and fellow pilots wrote to his family after his death describing his actions on the day he died; "That boy put up the best fight I've ever seen. He deserved a V.C. if anyone did," and "The fine fight was typical of him. It just wasn't in him to turn tail, even though he knew he hadn't a chance of coming through alive."
He is buried in Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore. He was aged 22.
Books
Lest We Forget, Jack West p.271
Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph
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