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The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. D V Newport

 

Douglas Victor Newport was born on 6th October 1920 in Bristol and joined the RAF in July 1938 as an Aircrafthand.

He later remustered as an Airman u/t Air Gunner. After completing his training he was posted to 235 Squadron at Bircham Newton in early July 1940.

 

Above: Newport standing at right, while in Ireland his pilot Sgt. SJ Hobbs was allowed to marry his fiance Joan Moira Greenland on 7th June 1941.

 

His flight was posted to RAF Aldergrove on 19th November 1940 where it combined with a flight from 236 Squadron to reform 272 Squadron on the 21st.

Newport’s first sortie with 272 was on the 23rd.

On 21st December Blenheim IVF L9415 XK-T became lost in bad weather and ran out of fuel. The crew baled out safely and came down at Lough Swilly, County Donegal in the Irish Republic. The aircraft came down at Sladran, near Buncrana in County Donegal.

The pilot Sgt. SJ Hobbs, Sgt. HW Ricketts and Newport (all Battle veterans) were interned in the Curragh Camp but later returned to RAF service either by escaping or being released. Newport escaped in August 1942.

 

Above: Newport at his wedding on 3rd July 1945 to Marjorie Cooper, a former WAAF, at St. Mary's Church. Acklam. Middlesbrough.

 

His subsequent service is currently undocumented except for his service with 279 ASR Squadron from December 1943 to November 1944.

He survived the war and died on 12th December 1969 in Sodbury, Gloucestershire.

 

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We are indebted to Dennis Burke of 'Foreign Aircraft Landings in Ireland' who has extensively documented the incident involving Hobbs, Newport and Ricketts, the complete account can be seen at http://www.ww2irishaviation.com/l9415.htm

Additional data and all images courtesy of family relatives via his site.

 

 

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