Hi, I'm updating Rye Rolls of Honour for their RBL Branch and their Memorial has one entry "J Newton" and no other details. I think I have identified him as CWGC:- NEWTON, JOHN TANTON. Rank: Sapper. Service No: 1888109. Date of Death: 03/02/1943. Age: 25. Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers. 135 Excavating Coy. Panel Reference: Column 26. Memorial: DUNKIRK MEMORIAL Name: John T. Newton. Rank: Sapper. Death Date: 3 Feb 1943. Number: 1888109 Birth Place: Sussex. Residence: Sussex. Branch at Enlistment: Other Corps Regiment at Death: Royal Engineers. Branch at Death: Other Corps. 1939-45 Roll of Honour:- and to Rye by:- Name: John T Newton. Mother's Maiden Surname: Tanton. Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1917 Registration District: Rye, Sussex. Volume: 2b. Page: 3 OK, that's all I need to do, establish a Rye connection.... BUT My curiosity was piqued by him being on the Dunkirk Memorial. I can ask CWGC as to why he's a 1943 casualty on the Dunkirk Memorial, but at least two panels do have later than 1940 deaths ".... or who died in captivity who were captured during this campaign and who have no known grave." I can find these CWGC entries (Ta, GSE!) GREEN LC 63673 135 EXCAVATOR COY 29/05/1940 ROYAL ENGINEERS HILL J 1862933 135 EXCAVATION COY 29/05/1940 ROYAL ENGINEERS LEESON EE 3596456 135 EXCAVATING COY 11/11/1940 ROYAL ENGINEERS MACK OR 1881362 135 EXCAVATING COY 16/11/1940 ROYAL ENGINEERS NEWTON JT 1888109 135 EXCAVATING COY 03/02/1943 ROYAL ENGINEERS NORTON-GRIFFITHS M 87246 135 EXCAVATING COY 29/05/1940 ROYAL ENGINEERS SHEPHERD J 875110 135 EXCAVATION COY 05/12/1945 ROYAL ENGINEERS TEMPEST EE 1867300 135 EXCAVATING COY 21/11/1940 ROYAL ENGINEERS WINSHIP JT 1878788 135 EXCAVATING COY 26/07/1940 ROYAL ENGINEERS but does anyone know anything more specific about John Tanton Newton, please? Thanks in advance
Ref the Memorial you are spot on - he was captured during the France and Flanders campaign, died in captivity and has no known grave. I posted a list of all of them in the 1940 section. I think there's a few hundred that died right up to 1945 with no known grave.
I can tell you that the two officers listed as died on the 29th May (Green and Norton-Griffiths) were on board HMS Grafton when she was torpedoed. Eldred (not listed was killed on the Maid Marion and Winship died of wounds after disembarkation. No mention in the diary of anyone being taken prisoner but my guess, he was fighting at Bergues and may have been captured there. There's a picture in my BEF Footsteps thread of what I believe was one of the units bulldozers blocking an entrance to Bergues. According to the diary the Company embarked on the 30th May.
Thanks Drew, I know it's not unique to have a known date of death without a known grave, but being a PoW I would have expected him to have been accounted for, at least by the Germans. Maybe he was an escaper and simply disappeared? Just a guess and not really pertinent for my purposes, just my curiosity! EDIT: Following Drews comment on all the research he's (and others) have done on BEF casualties, I checked Ancestry for PoW info and came up with this: Name: J T Newton. Camp Location: Oschatz, Saxony, so that does fit with him being a PoW and dying in captivity. That appears to link to Stalag IV G which seems to have been a series of work camps around that area, quite close to Leipzig. I'm just wondering if he might have been caught in an air raid on Leipzig whilst with a work party.
Or buried working down a mine or another working accident where his body couldn't be recovered. The answer may be out there somewhere, possibly in a war crime file or a liberation report, who knows. Some of the later unknowns from 1945 were killed on the forced marches back to Germany and buried in fields or at the side of roads, their grave locations forgotten over time.
Yes, Drew, mine collapse or similar, don't think the RAF were around there in Feb '43 after doing a bit more searching. Forced March losses were in my mind, but too early for that. Something we'll not know until someone posts and says "Do you know, I think I've got it"! Just me being curious as to how a Dunkirk PoW ended up dying in 1943 in captivity without a known grave. As they say, "The truth is out there - somewhere".
Hi guys, I'm looking for Francis McLaughlin who was killed in France 1940s operating a mechanical excavator. Thought to be digging graves. possibly with an Excavator Company Royal Engineers. Any ideas where I could find more info?
