Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
- Biography -
- William Newbery -

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, April 2, 1943

Heavy Raid on South Coast Town
A few hours before we went to press, a South Coast town which suffered a number of previous raids, was again visited by sneak raiders. Three fighter-bombers came in from the Channel, dropped bombs at a low altitude, and machine gunned the district a little to the west of the centre of the town. Extensive damage was done to residential and business properties. Public buildings damaged included a cinema. This, happily, was not showing at the time, and with one exception, the commissionaire, Mr. E.G. Stickley, who was severely injured and removed to hospital, the staff had not arrived for the evening performance. Five minutes later the whole of the staff would have reported for duty. A post office, a police station, a church, parish hall, and many shops in a main street, lost their windows or sustained other damage in varying degree. Several hotels were involved in damage - including one partially wrecked on a former occasion - and at one a fire was promptly dealt with. In a residential road on a lower level two private dwellings were demolished and a third partially so, and whilst these lines were being written, rescue party squads were digging for inmates known to have been trapped.

TWO PERSONS KILLED :
FIFTEEN INJURED.
(Last night's figures).
Late last night two fatal casualties were reported : -
Mr. William Newbery, an octogenarian, and Mrs. D. Capocchi, a visitor from a distant town.

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, April 9, 1943 Page 2

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
NEWBERY. - Mrs. H. Milligan and Mr. C.H. Newbery wish to return sincere thanks for messages of sympathy received by them in their sad bereavement, and for the lovely floral tributes sent.

Page 3

Raid Victims' Funerals
MR. WM. NEWBERY
Mr. William Newbery, a former boot and shoe repairer, met his death by enemy action whilst taking a walk in a South Coast town which was blitzed on Thursday in last week. He was 86 years of age and unmarried. A life-long Methodist he was a regular attendant at his church and had always been a warm supporter of the cause, in particular that of foreign missions. A man of quiet, unassuming disposition, he was much respected and will be greatly missed.
The funeral took place at the Cemetery on Monday, the Rev. W. Sinclair Smith, H.C.F., officiating. The principal mourners were Mrs. H. Milligan (sister), Mr. C.H. Newbery (brother), Mrs. C.H. Newbery (sister-in-law), Mrs. I. Walton (niece), Mr. E. Taylor, and Mr. J. Milligan (nephews). Representatives of the Methodist Church present were Mrs. Roff, Miss Evans, Miss Snow, Mrs. R. Cooper, Messrs. J. Sanders, W.H. Harris, G.H.R. Ingram, A. Childs and C.W. Cooper. Also present were Mr. E.W. Rayner, an old friend. Mr. Childs also represented Island's Pioneer Tent of Rechabites, of which deceased was the oldest surviving member, having been initiated on Oct. 9, 1873.
Mr. G.H.R. Ingram made the arrangements.