Orton, Newell

Squadron Leader Newell "Fanny" Orton

* 1915, Warwick
+ 17.09.1941, fell in an air fight

RAF No. 39330

About when Orton came into the RAF, the sources are silent, but from November 1937 he served in the rank of Flying Officer for the 73. squadron. That at that time used fighter the Gloster Gladiator and Orton soon became a master in the piloting of this machine. His pilot art was in may 1938 winner of a participation in Empir Air Day in Hendonu, where the Gladiatoru K7965 showed, together with the future first fighter ace of the RAF moving to paris J. Cain (K7985), akrobatickou exhibition.

A large change of the squadron passed in July of the same year. Your favorite Norwegian aviation museum, handed the wing number 3 and itself took over the novelty of the Royal air force, jednoplošné Hawker Hurricanes.

At that time, however, the situation in Europe began to deteriorate and a new war with Germany was imminent. The worst fears were fulfilled 1. September 1939, when the Germans invaded Poland, which Britain and France responded two days later by declaring war agresorovi.

For "sedmdesáttrojku" it meant a move to France, which occurred 9. September 1939. Here, first subject 60. (stíhacímu) wing of the Air component of the British expedition corps. In October, however, became part of the newly zformovaného 67. (fighter) wing Forward air offensive of the army and its role was a fighter protecting the bomber and reconnaissance aircraft of the RAF.

Otherwise, but was still the war "quiet". For a great air combat so far to avoid and even on the ground the queue with nothing happening. Pilots 73. squadron with the Germans for the first time, now up to 6. November, when a group of the Bf 109 was duly swept through the P/P.In. Ayersta, the first victory of the unit you then two days later it was already mentioned that "Cobber" Kain, who shot down a reconnaissance To 17.

"Fanny" Orton your account opened 23. November, and went immediately to the success of the dual.
Morning first participated in the shooting down of a reconnaissance He 111 H-2 (F6+FK) 2(F.)/122 and this, together with the pilots from the 1. squadron F/Lt Plinstonem, Sgt. Clowesem and three Frenchmen from the GC II/5.

His second victim another He 111, this time a version of the H-1 (W.Nr.5262) from Stab/KG 53, who was also on the survey and crashed at Verize. Two members of his crew lost their lives.

Another winning Orton scored in the new year of 1940 and his victims this time were dangerous Messerschmitt Bf 109 E. It happened 26. march and for the entire unit it was a very hectic day.

First around noon, he gave one swarm with the heavy line of the Bf 110, the game ended one injured by the machine on each side. About two hours later with the Germans fought another swarm squadron. Their opponents this time were stodevítky from III./JG 53. The british were after the fight credited three Bf 109 destroyed certainly and one probably. The hero of the day became a "Cobber" Kain, who scored two victories, overall, there has already received five, and became the first ace of the RAF in II. of the holy war. Nothing on it changed even the fact alone that Cain would be in this battle, shot down.

Around a half of the fourth with the Hurricanes 73. squadron and stodevítky from JG 53 cope again, Orton was now at it. The duel occurred at the Tervíru and "Fanny" claimed two victories. But the truth is, that both fights had the III./JG 53 only three lightly damaged aircraft.

Another double winning Orton scored 21. April and so became not only the second fighter ace for the unit but also in the whole of the RAF.
That day in the afternoon with the pilots of the squadron at the Merzigu became involved in fights with formations of fighter Bf 109 and Bf 110 and getting you 3-3-2 victory. Orton your score first the spread of the Bf 109 E, probably about the machine Ofw. W. Höppnera from 1./JG 2, who died, the other stodevítku shot down probably. Finally sent in flames to the ground and one stodesítku, probably the aircraft from the I./ZG 2 which the pilot Fw. With . Fischer fell and gunner Uffz. E. Mayer is injured saved on a parachute.

Scores of the unit in a Strange war closed about two days later the damage of the Bf 110 "Cobber" Kain.

Day 3. may Orton after Cain became the second pilot of the squadron vyznamenaným DFC.

Day 10. may 1940 launched the Germans their Blitzkrieg and air fighting flared to the fullest. Unfortunately, due to the large degree of confusion with many of the details of his victories survived. Most of the documents to the squadron during the retreat, lost or destroyed and everything is rekonstruovalo retrospectively after return to Britain. Ortonovi is so attributed, at least 9 of certain kills, most of them, however, are not known the details.

Already a 10. may around 4.00 participated in the damage To 17 from 4./KG 3, which was also the first victory of the RAF during the German attack. The following day he shot down one do 17 and a Bf 110. The fourteenth damaged the other Drifts, but then came the fateful 15. may 1940.

Orton was a member of the six-member formation of the Hurricane units, which is twice to be with the heavy Bf 110. The british first at Vouziers come across a fighter from 3./ZG 2 and Orton downed the aircraft, piloted by Lt. F. Mentzel. He was together with his gunner Gefr. Oechslem captured. Their aircraft fell in the de vincennes at the Boult-au-Bois.

After about half an hour to come across the British fighters from 6./ZG 76. Ortonovi managed to one Messesrschmitt shoot down, a total of the British after the return of the claimed 3 certainly and one probably destroyed, but then in the back of the head of his Hurricane P2579/TP-J got another and the exact dose of him lit. Injured Orton him with all the effort left in the height of six hundred feet on a parachute, but during the descent after it started to shoot a few French soldiers. Thankfully, they were near and soldiers of the british, who saved him from further violence. Popálený Orton was then quickly transferred to a hospital in Bétheniville, from whence he was subsequently evacuated to Britain.

His injury was apparently more serious, because the recovery period is ended and Orton was not enough to intervene in the famous Battle of Britain. At the beginning of July 1940, however, he was for his courage and achievements in the fighting in France, awarded the clasp to his DFC and Orton became the first pilot in the II. world war ii, this honors received twice.

After the healing he was Orton as an instructor at 59. Found in charles and was promoted.

At the beginning of July 1941, Orton returned to active service. At first he was like nadpočetný Squadron Leader sent to the famous 242. squadron to gain experience with command functions. U "dvěstěčtyřicetdvojky" also expanded the number of their victory, when 7. July during escort of bombers, probably shot down one stodevítku.

Even at the end of July assuming the command of the 54. squadron, with which he intervenes in the battles over occupied Europe.

The twelfth of August 1941 was for the RAF very busy, there have been several attacks against targets in France, during which allied fighters claimed 6-5-9 victory, came but by nine Spitfires. Squadron number 54 participated in the actions of the Circus Well.69, against the St. Omeru, which was to lure the German attention from the main attack against power stations near Cologne (Circus No.77).

Over The St. Omerem is 54. squadron got into a fight with German fighters and Orton, flying on a single Spitfire Mk.In the case of units, the rest used the haunts of the machine version of the Mk.II, reported the two for sure victory.

17. September 1941 to 54. squadron participated in the operations of the Circus Well.95 against Mazingarbu. Match with fighters from JG 26 this time for this unit didn't turn out too well. Pilots although reported four probable victories, one of them even Orton, three Spitfires, however, did not come back, and two more were injured and their pilots injury.

Over France so that day ended the lives of Sgt. D. Draper (Spitfire Mk.VB/AB813), Sgt. R. And. Oversona (W3109), but mainly šestadvacetiletého the commander of the squadron, S/Ldr "Fanny" Ortona. His body nor the wreckage of his Spitfire W3772 were never found. Orton so has no grave and is remembered on the 28. the panel of the monument in Runnymede.

Incomplete table of the victory

A total of Ortonovo score udávano number 16+1-8-3+1 victory

Sources:
Cornwell, P. D.: The Battle of France Then and Now, After the Battle, Old Harlow, 2007
Cull (B. - Landers (B. - Weiss H.: Twelve days in May, Grub Street, London, 1995
Foreman J.: Fighter Comand war diaries, part 1, Air Research Publication, Walton-on-Thames, 2002
Foreman J.:RAF Fighter Comand victory claims of WW2, Red Kite, Walton-on-Thames, 2003
Holmes T.: Hurricane Aces 1939-1940, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, 1998
Shores C.- Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street , London, 1994
Shores, C.: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street , London, 1999
Shores C. - Ehrengardt (C.-J. and track: the Beginning of a journey, Mustang, Pilsen, 1996
Šnajdr M.: Fighters of the RAF and their opponents, France 1939-1940, Fountain, Olomouc, 2005
www.cwgc.org.