Newell Orton

Newell Orton, DFC & Bar (1915 – 17 September 1941) was a British flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was officially credited with the destruction of 17 enemy aircraft.

Orton returned to active operations in July 1941, when he was posted to No. 242 Squadron on a short-term basis. He claimed a Bf 109 as probably destroyed during his service with the squadron and at the end of the month was given command of No. 54 Squadron, operating from Hornchurch. Now holding the rank of squadron leader, he regularly flew on sweeps to France. On 12 August, with his squadron flying as escorts to Handley Page Hampden bombers attacking the airfield at St. Omer. Unmolested as they crossed the English Channel, over France they were intercepted by a group of Bf 109s. In the ensuing dogfight Orton claimed two of these as destroyed. On 17 September the squadron, flying as part of the Hornchurch Wing, was involved in a large engagement with around 50 Bf 109s near Le Touquet. Orton was one of three pilots of the squadron that were shot down and killed. He is to believed to have probably destroyed one Bf 109 before his death.

Born in Warwick, Orton served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve before joining the RAF in 1937. Posted to No. 73 Squadron, he was sent to France with the squadron on the outbreak of the Second World War. He flew extensively during the Phoney War and the subsequent Battle of France. He was wounded on 15 May 1940 when his Hawker Hurricane was shot down and was repatriated to England for hospital treatment for burns. In 1941, after recovering from his injuries, he was appointed commander of No. 54 Squadron and flew numerous operations on the Channel Front until his death.

On 24 August 1939, as tensions escalated between Britain and Germany, No. 73 Squadron was mobilised for war. It was intended to send the squadron to France as the Air Component of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), designated as part of No. 60 Mobile Wing along with No. 1 Squadron. On 8 September 1939, the Second World War now underway, it deployed to France. Operating from Rouvres, not far from the border with Germany, the squadron flew regular standing patrols and were involved in infrequent engagements with the Luftwaffe during the Phoney War. On 23 November, Orton helped in the shooting down of a Heinkel He 111 medium bomber and claimed another as destroyed. Towards the end of the year and into the early part of 1940, weather often affected flight operations and little action was seen.

Newell Orton, nicknamed Fanny, was born in 1915 in Warwick, England, and was educated locally at King's High School and then proceeding to Leamington Technical College. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1935 and was soon a qualified pilot with the rank of sergeant. Two years later he received a short service commission in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and was posted to No. 73 Squadron as a flying officer. At the time, the squadron operated Gloster Gladiators but in July 1938, it was re-equipped with Hawker Hurricanes.