Major (QM) Albert Edward Newman was born in parish of St. Andrew, Newcastle upon Tyne, on 3/7/01. He enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry as a boy soldier, at South Shields on 30/10/18. His service in 1918-21 included spells in Macedonia and with the British expedition supporting the White Russian forces. His postwar service number was 4437146.
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He was promoted to Orderly Room Colour Sergeant in the 1st Battalion Durham in September 1932. Commissioned in July 1940 as a Lieutenant (Quartermaster), with the personal number 137675, he was with the 16th Durham Light Infantry from at least 1941 (see the 1941 officers listing) and probably from the very start in Scotland.
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He served with the battalion through to its disbandment in early 1946 and was awared his MBE in the New Year’s Honour’s list of 1/1/42. He was promoted to Captain (Quartermaster) in 1946 and Major (Quartermaster) in 1949, retiring in November 1956.
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By all accounts, see particularly my IWM interviews with W ‘Jimmy’ James and John Lewindon MM, ‘Bert’ Newman was one of the real characters of the 16th Battalion DLI. ‘Jimmy’ James, who was Colour Sgt of D Coy, 16 DLI in 1942-43 always spoke of him with a big wry smile, referring to him as a ‘crafty monkey’! Jimmy also remembered being highly intrigued by Newman’s WW1 Campaign medal ribbons, for the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. Sgt Joe Drake MM told me that at the height of the Sedjenane action in March 1943, when the Battalion had suffered extremely heavy losses, Newman couldn’t have been more helpful and energetic in getting replacement kit out to the troops.
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‘Bert’ Newman’s medals are now part of the DLI Museum Collection
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