Harold Brassey Newton
Date of birth / Date established
17 Nov 1916
Date of death / Date closed
10 Nov 2003
Place of birth / Place established
Place of death / Place closed
Biography
Harold Brassey Newton was born in Waitara on 17 November 1916. Newton grew up on the family farm in Kaipikari, near Urenui.
When World War Two broke out Newton joined the RNZAF, he was posted in Canada for training. After his training he joined the English RAF. For his service in WWII, Newton was awarded one of flying’s highest awards, the Distinguished Flying Cross [DFC], by King George VI.
After the war he continued to fly for the RAF’s Berlin Air Command, transporting food and other supplies to starving Germans in Russian-held Berlin.
In 1947 he bought a small American Ercoupe Monoplane and flew it from Belgium home to New Zealand, a feat that was celebrated worldwide. The 19,000 kilometre journey took 3 weeks.
Oh his return home, Harold established a business at Opotiki flying charter passengers tthroughout New Zealand. He also returned to the 1880ha family farm at Kaipikari. He married Janet Jenson on 28 May 1955. Together they had six children, Lewis, Stephen, Dot, Claire, Edwin and Matt.
Harold died on 10 November 2003 in a tractor accident on his farm, he was 86 years old.
When World War Two broke out Newton joined the RNZAF, he was posted in Canada for training. After his training he joined the English RAF. For his service in WWII, Newton was awarded one of flying’s highest awards, the Distinguished Flying Cross [DFC], by King George VI.
After the war he continued to fly for the RAF’s Berlin Air Command, transporting food and other supplies to starving Germans in Russian-held Berlin.
In 1947 he bought a small American Ercoupe Monoplane and flew it from Belgium home to New Zealand, a feat that was celebrated worldwide. The 19,000 kilometre journey took 3 weeks.
Oh his return home, Harold established a business at Opotiki flying charter passengers tthroughout New Zealand. He also returned to the 1880ha family farm at Kaipikari. He married Janet Jenson on 28 May 1955. Together they had six children, Lewis, Stephen, Dot, Claire, Edwin and Matt.
Harold died on 10 November 2003 in a tractor accident on his farm, he was 86 years old.
![Newton, Harold [letter]; 15 Oct 1947; ARC2013-1434](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/80869/12753e8476f262bbf9b841580ad9eae4c79812c6.jpg)
