Newton, Alfred Willie Oscar

Date of birth:: December 19th, 1914 (Valencia, Spain)
Date of death:: 1978
Service number:: 231950
Nationality:: British

Biography

Henry and Alfred Newton, British brothers affectionately nicknamed "the twins" within the Special Operations Executive (SOE), were born in Spain over a decade apart—Henry in 1903 and Alfred in 1914. Sons of British variety artists, they became travelling acrobats themselves as the Boorn Brothers, touring Europe and South America. By the 1930s, both had settled in France with their wives and children.

When World War II broke out, the brothers worked as despatch riders in France before being imprisoned in 1941. After escaping and crossing into Spain, they were detained again and eventually handed over to the British. Upon reaching Gibraltar, they learned that the ship carrying their families—the SS Avoceta—had been sunk by a German U-boat, killing everyone on board. This devastating loss fueled their hatred of the Nazis and their resolve to fight.

Recruited by SOE’s F Section, they - after a few false starts- were parachuted into France on 30 June 1942 near Tours to support the Resistance. Initially dismissed by their aristocratic contact Philippe de Vomécourt, they formed their own network (GREENHEART) in the Puy de Dôme region, recruiting around 200 men. Shortages and tensions led them to plan an escape to Spain, but their safehouse in Lyon was raided on 4 April 1943 by 15 Gestapo agents. Despite a fierce hand-to-hand fight, they were captured.

They were tortured by Klaus Barbie, the infamous “Butcher of Lyon,” though later accounts questioned some details of this treatment. Alfred even attempted escape by jumping from a window. Transferred to Fresnes prison, they were eventually deported to Buchenwald concentration camp in 1944. Forced into hard labor and suffering severe illness, they evaded execution by hiding in the “Little Camp” and changing their prisoner numbers to impersonate dead inmates. They were liberated by American troops on 11 April 1945. And together with Christopher Burney and Maurice Southgate they were the only surviving British agents left in the camp.

Emaciated and deeply scarred, both physically and psychologically, they were awarded MBEs for their service. A 1955 book, No Banners by Jack Thomas, recounted their wartime experiences. After the war, they ran a nightclub with another ex-SOE agent, but neither ever fully recovered. Alfred died in England in 1979; Henry died a few months later in Spain, in 1980.

In June 1967 in the UK Parliament a motion was discussed in which it was claimed that Alfred Newton was withheld of a promotion to the rank of Captain which of course would have led to a higher disability pension. However the motion was denied.

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Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant
Unit:: F Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government
Awarded on:: August 30th, 1945

Citation:
"This officer was parachuted into France with his brother on 30 June 1942 as a saboteur instructor to a circuit in the unoccupied zone. In this capacity he worked for a period of nine months, throughout which period he showed outstanding courage and devotion to duty. He travelled continuously and organised and trained sabotage cells in various regions, in particular Lyon, St. Etienne and Le Puy. These groups subsequently carried out effective sabotage on enemy industrial installations and railway communications. Newton was arrested in April 1943 with his brother and incarcerated at Fresnes, where he spent over a year in solitary confinement. He was later transferred to Buchenwald concentration camp where he suffered grave hardships. He was liberated in April 1945 when American forces occupied the camp. For his courageous work in the French Resistance and his remarkable endurance during his two years in captivity, it is recommended that he be appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division)."