A most tragic 'Death by Cut-Throat Razor' medal group of  6, to an Officer who served in France & Flanders, Turkey & China (Tientsin & Shanghai) & in Italy 1945: Captain William James Newton, Royal Army Pay Corps, late 7th Bn King's Shropshire Light In

- British War Medal. Silver issue (43635 Pte. W. J. Newton. K.S.L.I.)
- Interallied Victory Medal (43635 Pte. W. J. Newton. K.S.L.I.)
- The Italy Star
- Defence Medal
- War Medals 1939-45
- Military LS&GC. GV issue with 'Regular Army' bar (4026887 S.Sjt. W. J. Newton. R.A.P.C.)

Medals Verification: All medals confirmed as entitled per the below following cited sources:

- British War Medal. Silver issue: WO 329/1488. Shows served with 7th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 329/1488. Served 7th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry
- The Italy Star: Attached 2nd British General Hospital, Caserta, Italy 1945
- Defence Medal: Qualified having served 12 x months overseas in Halifax, Canada 1940-41
- War Medal 1939-45: Awarded for 28 days service in British Army. Extant service papers refer
- Military LS&GC. GV issue with 'Regular Army' bar: 18 years service 1936 per Army Order 195 of 1936

Tragic Death: Having served in two World Wars, and soldiered globally in occupied territories & across the British Empire in the inter-war years, Captain Newton died a tragic death, by his own hands, as reported the 'Gazette And Borough News' issue of 25 March 1955;

Quote,

INQUEST ON A CATFORD ACCOUNTANT

Wife's Evidence at Inquest

Described by his wife as "nervous, excitable and provocative". Mr. William James Newton, aged 58, an accountant, of 491, Bromley-road, Catford, often said to her while shaving with an open razor: "Look ,that's the place to do it."

Mrs. Beatrice Newton returned from a weekend away on March 14 to find her husband lying on the bedroom floor of their home with his throat cut. A carving knife was by his side.

At Tuesday's Lewisham inquest she told the Coroner (Mr. W. R. Heddy.) that Mr. Newton said: "I've done it. I've done it."

He had talked on more than one occasion about suicide, and on account of his drinking habits they had agreed last year, to go their separate ways. It was somewhat difficult, she explained, because she happened to be his business partner.

At Lewisham Hospital it was thought at first that Mr. Newton would recover.

The day after the incident he made a statement to Police-Sgt. Kitchenam saying: "I put the carving knife across my throat at 6. a.m. I will never do anything so stupid again." But on March 18 he died.

Said, Dr. F. E. Camps, Harley-street, pathologist: "It is one of those curious cases where people die some time later from the after effect of a wound."

" The wound which had severed the gullet and wind-pipe, had become infected, and he already had chronic bronchitis and very marked arterial degeneration."

The Coroner returned a verdict that, Mr. Newton "took his life while the balance of his mind was disturbed."

Unquote.

William James Newton, son of John Newton (a Stoker at the Electric Light Works, Shrewsbury) & Emily Jane Newton was a native of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, where he was born on, 12 June 1897, and where he was baptized on, 4 July 1897. William attested for the British Army and was posted to his local infantry regiment King’s Shropshire Light Infantry on 14 August 1916. He served overseas in France with the 6th Battalion in France from 5 October 1918 and joined No. 2 Records Office, attached Regimental Depot on 27 January 1919. Attached on Probation to the Army Pay Corps at Shrewsbury 4 May 1920, he was posted overseas to Constantinople and Tientsin and Shanghai where he served for an unusually long period 1923-30, and was awarded the LS&GC under A.O.195 of 1936

Sent to Halifax, Nova Scotia as Warrant Officer i/c Pay Duties, R.A. Recruiting Party, 9 March 1940, Newton proceeded to St. John’s attached to the Royal Canadian Artillery. Returned to London in November 1941, he was awarded a Certificate for Good Service in connection with the New Year’s Honours List of 1944 and was appointed to a commission as Lieutenant in the Royal Army Pay Corps on 6 February 1945. Released from military duty a short while later, he died of self inflicted wounds at Lewisham Hospital on 18 March 1955

Sold together with some hard-copy research

The medals mounted in the court-style for display

Condition: About GVF

Code: 26100