Letter to Jack Newton's wife from the Red Cross

Letter to Jack Newton's wife from the Red Cross

Writes they are sorry that there was no news of her husband. Other aircrew that she had enquired of were reported as killed in action and another as prisoner of war.

1941-08-15

One page typewritten letter

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SNewtonJL742570v10042

WAR ORGANISATION OF THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY and ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM

[Red Cross symbol] [italics] President: [/italics] HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. [italics] Grand Prior: [/italics] H.R.H. THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, K.G. [Order of St. John of Jerusalem crest]

[underlined] WOUNDED, MISSING AND RELATIVES DEPARTMENT [/underlined]

[italics] Chairman: [/italics] THE DOWAGER LADY AMPTHILL, C.I., G.B.E.

TELEPHONE No.: SLOANE 9696 TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS: “WOMIREL. KNIGHTS. LONDON” 7 BELGRAVE SQUARE LONDON, S.W.1

NM/FM RAF/L.4180 15th August, 1941.

Dear Mrs. Newton,

I am writing concerning our telephone conversation on August 13th when you made an enquiry for your husband, Sergeant J.L. Newton, No. 742570, and for his friend, Sergeant R.C. Smith, No. 742572.

I am so sorry that we have at present no news of your husband, but, as I told you, we are making all possible enquiries and you will be notified without delay if we succeed in obtaining any information.

Sergeant R.C. Smith has, unhappily, now been posted by the Air Ministry as “missing, believed killed in action. The grievous news that he lost his life was sent by the International Red Cross Committee at Geneva.

Sergeant Louch, a member of the crew, has been reported as a prisoner of war, and we have written to him asking if he can give us any information about what happened at the time. We have also sent a special enquiry to the International Red Cross Committee, asking them to obtain what details they can about the place where Sergeant Smith is buried.

It is likely to be several months before we receive replies to these enquiries, but we will write to you again when we do so.

I am so sorry to have to send you this distressing news.

Yours sincerely, [signature] Margaret Ampthill. Chairman. pp [indecipherable letter] . m.

Mrs. M. Newton, 39a, Popes grove Mansions, Heath Road, Twickenham.