Friends gather to pay their respects

Cemetery group's tribute to those killed in two world wars

THE great-nephew of a Second World War air gunner was among those who gathered at Newtown Road Cemetery to place poppies in honour of the fallen on the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

The cemetery has 20 servicemen’s graves from both world wars and a small party from the Friends of Newtown Road Cemetery thought it fitting to spend the two-minute silence – respecting social distancing – alongside them on Friday and to learn a little more of their demise.

The war dead range from a 21-year-old sergeant air gunner tragically lost in north-east England when a Wellington bomber malfunctioned and all the crew were killed, to a 59-year-old RAF mechanic who served in both wars, and took his own life in his home at Salcombe Road while on sick leave.

Stanley Rawlings, who was also 21 years old, was in the Fleet Air Arm in India, where he suffered an insect bite that turned to a cerebral abscess and meningitis,from which he died, despite the best efforts of nursing staff to save him when repatriated to the UK.

His story was told to the Friends of Newtown Cemetery by Paul Thompson, his great- nephew.

The Friends also paid tribute at the grave of the first man to be treated with penicillin – Pc Albert Alexander – who had been wounded while on duty in an air raid in Southampton.

When the coronavirus lockdown ends and the restrictions are lifted, it is hoped the cemetery will be open every day, as it has been since 2009.

For more details about the cemetery – and the 12,000 people buried there – visit the Friends’ website at www.fnrcnewbury.org