This is one of a series of posts to mark the international Rugby players who died during The Great War. If anyone has further information on the men concerned, I’d be most grateful if it could be added to the thread. Gareth Newton, Arthur Winstanley played for England Internationals: 1 : 1907 S- Arthur Newton was born on 12 September 1879. Played as a Wing for: Blackheath, The Army, Barbarians Profession: The Army - Royal Dublin Fusiliers Remarks: Commissioned in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers 7 May 1900 and promoted to Lieutenant on 2 August 1902. Played for the Officers of the Army v the Officers of the Royal Navy in February (14-15) and December 1907 (0-15). Played for Barbarians: v Cardiff (0-17) v Exeter (18-3) in 1907. Resigned his commission in the RDF 18 July 1908. There is an “A Newton” listed on the Indian Army List of 1912. War service: He is shown as T/Major, 6th (Service) Bn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers in the Army List of January 1915. Arthur Newton is believed to have been killed in action during the 1914-1918 War, and many Rugby references indicate this. However, he is not listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Register; the only A W Newton listed is not him – there are 37 A Newtons listed.
The LG lists his first name as Andrew in one entry ............ http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/28159/pages/5220 and he's also listed here ....... http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/28986/supplements/9975
Check this that Phil found .... same birth date !! .... he also found a funeral notice for Andrew in Australia in 1945 !! Andrew Newton England Full name Andrew Winstanley Newton Born September 12, 1879 Died circa 1944 Major teams England Position Wing http://www.scrum.com/england/rugby/player/1889.html
Annie & Gareth, The rugby link I gave you earlier matches the dates on Gareth's original (2004) post: Andrew Newton, wing, capped 16th March 1907, England v Scotland, played at Blackheath. Phil
I didn't even notice that Sherlock !! .......... maybe he really is Andrew !! We'll have to wait until Gareth comes back on .......... I was going to try the Australia board to see if we could find something there !! ... but I think I'll wait till we find out the proper name !! Annie
We may be on the way to solving a mystery here! His name is Arthur in all the Rugby histories that I've seen. The 1971 Centenary History of the RFU has this: "Newton's career becomes confused because of conflicting authorities. He is listed as killed in World War I by Wisden 1925-26 and in the 1925 revised edition of Marshall, however he is not on the official RFU Roll of Honour of the 1914-18 War and does not appear in the Blackheath club list of its killed. Since he does not appear in the 1919 edition of the Army List it is probable that he did not survive the War." Two possibilities spring to mind, the first fairly unlikely and the second more likely: there were twins named Andrew and Arthur, presumably the offspring of parents who wanted to economise of monogrammed garments, and their histories have become muddled together; or Andrew's name was incorrectly recorded as Arthur at some point, and that's why the latter name couldn't be traced. However, the Army List generally only uses surnames and initials, so Andrew and Arthur would both appear as A W Newton. It's an easy mistake in research [I write from experience here] to assume that whatever was written at the time you're looking at must have been correct - but when you look at the modern media, it's clear that this isn't an inflexible rule. I wonder where in Australia Andrew/Arthur Newton died? It's a big place to go looking. Gareth
I can't get an on line database for that cemetery ...... here's the church of the funeral ... http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/building769_christ-church.html
It looks like reports of his death were rather exaggerated! He went on to live in Melbourne. (Though Barry Humphries did once remark of Melbourne that it's a place where the visitor can honestly wonder if there really is life before death.) It certainly looks like Arthur really was Andrew, who resigned his commission in the RDF on18 July 1908. An unknown program compiler, or similar functionary, made a mistake and condemned Andrew to obscurity, and sent historians searching for someone who didn't exist. Gareth
The family arriving in on the Euripedes in November 1920 Port B Fiche 938 Pge 006. http://proarchives.imagineering.com.au/index_search.asp?searchid=23 NEWTON Andrew Mr. 40 years NEWTON Millicent Mrs 28 years NEWTON Basil 2 years NEWTON Andrew 7 years NEWTON Terence 5 years
Electoral Rolls: 1924 Andrew Winstanley Newton Male State: Victoria District: Henty Subdistrict: Sandringham 73 Beach Rd Sandringham , Clerk 1931 Andrew Winstanley Newton Male State: Victoria District: Flinders Subdistrict: Ivanhoe 83 Locksley Rd Ivanhoe, Clerk At this address is also a Millicent Madeline Newton listed as home duties 1939 Andrew Winstanley Newton Male State: Victoria District: Balaclava Subdistrict: St Kilda West 8 Alfred Sq, Clerk Millicent also listed at this address.
His death reg ..... NEWTON Andrew Winstanley Father Willoughby Andrew Mother Blanch HOWARD Died at St Kilda 66 years 1945 Reg#9387 His MI at Melbourne General Cemetery which unfortunately gives no further info NEWTON - In devoted remembrance of Capt A W Newton, beloved husband and father, called to higher life 14 Sep 1945. Until the day dawns.
The baby - Basil served in WW2 .......... Basil George Newton born in Illford England http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/ But then ........ Basil George Newton who died 7th Sept 2007 aged 89 http://ryersonindex.net/search.php I was kind of hoping maybe we could get the real story from him .......
What we've found out is enough for me. It was certainly Andrew who served in the RDF and died in Melbourne. 'Arthur' must have been a mistake. Gareth
heres a snippet ......... It wasn't Andrew Winstanley's first emigration to Aus in 1920. Cable News 9 September 1905. Lord Chelmsford, the new Governor of Queensland has appointed Lieutenant Andrew Winstanley Newton of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers as his private secretary and Lieutenant Bertram Breeds as his aide-de-camp.
Fascinating! He's no longer such a man of mystery. Perhaps his first visit prompted him to later emigrate. Gareth
