Colonel Richard Ernest Upton Newman
CBE (1938) MC (1917) MB ChB (Ed 1905)
18 Sep 1883 [Newcastle West Co. Limerick] – 24 Nov 1956
Colonel Richard Ernest Upton Newman graduated MB ChB from Edinburgh in 1905. He was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps on 30 January 1906. He was one of forty successful candidates who passed the examination held in London for commissions in the RAMC, for which seventy four candidates competed. He came 34th in seniority with 492 marks; the highest score was 595 of Dr Charles Milligan Drew, the lowest that of Dr Philip Smyly Stewart with 475 marks.
Colonel R E U Newman was a Specialist in Bacteriology. He served as Deputy Assistant Director of Pathology Malta Command. In the Great War, he was mentioned in Field Marshal Lord French's dispatch of 30 November 1915, for gallant and distinguished service in the field. In June 1917 he was conferred with the Military Cross in the king's birthday honours list, in recognition of his conspicuous gallantry and devotion in the field.
In 1937, he was brought to notice by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief in India for distinguished services rendered in connection with the military operations in Waziristan during the period 16 September to 15 December 1937. In 1938, he was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his role in Waziristan.
Service Record
30 Jan 1906 Lieutenant RAMC on probation; confirmed in rank in July 1906.
Apr 1907 Change of Station from Bere Island to Queenstown.
Dec 1907 Change of Station from Queenstown to India.
Apr 1908 Change of Station from Rawalpindi to Sialkot.
July 1909 Promoted Captain RAMC. Change of Station from Sialkot to Kalabagh.
Jan 1910 Change of Station from Camp Haveligan to Hutti Camp.
Feb 1910 Change of Station from Hutti Camp to Rawalpindi.
Jan 1911 Change of Station from Kuldanna to Rawalpindi.
May 1911 Change of Station from Rawalpindi to Murree.
Jan 1912 Change of Station from Murree to Rawalpindi.
July 1913 Change of Station from Chatham to Landguard Fort Felixstowe.
Sept 1913 Change of Station from Landguard to Chatham.
28 July 1914 Start of the Great War.
4 Aug 1914 Britain declares war on Germany.
1914–1919 Served with the British Expeditionary Force in France and Belgium.
1914 Specialist in Bacteriology.
30 Nov 1915 Mentioned in Field Marshal Lord French's dispatch.
10 July 1917–21 Mar 1919 Acting Lieutenant Colonel RAMC in command of No 100 Field Ambulance.
June 1917 Awarded the Military Cross for distinguished services rendered in the field and elsewhere in connection with the war.
30 Jan 1918 Promoted Major RAMC.
7 May 1919 Arrived from England. Relinquish the acting rank of Lieutenant Colonel on re-posting.
25 Aug 1920 Deputy Director of Medical Services Malta Command.
1921 Deputy Assistant Director of Pathology Malta Command. Was in Malta when the Royal Air Force Sandfly Commission was conducting its research on the life history and bionomics of the Phlebotomus papatasii. During the years 1921, 1922, and 1923, the Commission consisted of: in 1921, Squadron Leader H E Whittingham, Corporal G H Noakes and Aircraft man R Stewart; in 1922, Squadron Leader H E Whittingham, Flight Lieutenant A F Rook, Corporal R Stewart, and Aircraft man H A Collett; in 1923, Wing Commander H E Whittingham, Corporal R Stewart, and Leading Aircraft man H A Collett, all of the Royal Air Force Medical Service.
5 July 1922 On home leave. Returned to Malta on 5 September 1922.
27 Nov 1923 Birth of a daughter, Doris Elizabeth Newman, to Richard Ernest Upton Newman and Lucie Martha. The child was baptised at St Oswald's Church Mtarfa on 19 December 1923.
2 Mar 1924 Returned to England.
1925–1930 Served in India.
21 Sep 1926 Birth of a daughter at Quetta to Lucie, wife of Major R E U Newman.
1927–1929 Assistant Director of Hygiene and Pathology Western Command.
1 Jan 1930 Brevet Lieutenant Colonel RAMC.
20 May 1930 Temporary Lieutenant Colonel RAMC.
June 1930 Promoted Lieutenant Colonel from Major vice Lt Col Ernest Vaughan Aylen DSO who retired. Had held the rank of Brevet Lt Col (temporary Lt Col).
11 Apr 1930–7 Mar 1934 Commandant Depôt RAMC.
1 May 1934 Promoted Colonel L/RAMC. Commanding Officer British Military Hospital Karachi Rawalpindi.
1934–1937 Assistant Director Medical Services HQ Waziristan District. Awarded the CBE in recognition of valuable services rendered in the field in connection with the operations in Waziristan during the period 16 September to 15 December 1937.
1 May 1938 Retired on retired pay.
3 Sep 1939 Rejoined the services.
1939–1941 Commandant 2 Depôt and Training Establishment RAMC, Newbattle Abbey, Midlothian, Scotland.
1941–1942 Assistant Director of Medical Services HQ Cambridge Area.
June 1943 Restored to the rank of Colonel.
1942–1944 Assistant Director of Medical Services HQ West Lancashire Area.
1944–1945 HQ 1 Civil Affairs Group.
1945–1946 North West Europe HQ 7 Civil Affairs Group.
16 Dec 1946 Reverted to retired pay.
Apr 1949 Ceased to belong to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers having exceeded the age limit of liability to recall.
Bibliography
- Entry No: 496. Drew R. 1968. Commissioned Officers in the Medical Services of the British Army 1690–1960. Vol II Roll of Officers in the Royal Army Medical Corps 1898–1960, London: Wellcome Historical Medical Library.
- Succession Books Vol XXII, Returns of statement of service of RAMC Officers.
- TNA:ADM 338/54, Register of baptisms in the Mtarfa Church Room and St Oswald's Church Mtarfa.
- Life history of Phlebotomus papatasii. Br Med J (1923); 2:1148 (Published 15 December 1923).