NEWTON, George

George Newton was the brother of Thomas Newton of 31 Cross Walks Road, Wollescote, and attended Wollescote school. He volunteered for the Warwicks and joined the 14th (1st Birmingham Pals) Battalion in the 5th Division who fought on the Western Front from January 1916. They were on the Somme from July 1916 and fought hard at Delville Wood and High Wood. By this time George Newton had been wounded twice, gassed twice and mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's Despatch of January 1917. In October the Warwicks entered the Third Battle of Ypres and were soon in the front line along the Menin Road near Gheluvelt. They were involved in major attacks on the 9th and the 23rd October and in a minor attack on the 26th. Casualties were sustained attacking an enemy pill-box and Private George Newton was killed. He was 23 years of age and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot, Lye and Wollescote, Lye church and Wollescote school Memorials.