Page 18 - issue08.03.2019

Royal Air Force News Friday, March 8, 2019 P18 Royal Air Force News Friday, March 8, 2019 P19

Feature A family affair

RAF family of Private Eye cartoonist Nick Newman included talented artist sibling and Spitfire-flyer father

Cartoonist’s

Nimrod pilot

brother was

CREATIVE: Sqn Ldr Tim Newman WITTY: Sqn Ldr Newman drew cartoons for RAF Kinloss station magazine

Tracey Allen it’s the story of bookseller, the case of Eliza Fanning, who
publisher and satirist William was wrongly hanged for murder.
HE CHIEF cartoonist Hone; who stood trial in 1817 “He was an original in so
of satirical magazine for parodying religion, the many ways. He was a campaigner
Private Eye says his tyrannical government and the for universal suffrage which, in
T RAF pilot brother was lecherous monarchy. 1817, was 100 years away. He quick on the
a better cartoonist than him. Hone, who was threatened was well before his time.”
Nick Newman revealed with transportation to Newman added: “Hone also
that his sibling Sqn Ldr Tim Australia, and the cartoonist campaigned for better conditions
Newman, who died in 2011, was he collaborated with, George in the lunatic asylum. He and
the founder of a Private Eye-style Cruikshank, are both heroes to Cruikshank were appalled by
Service magazine while stationed Hislop and Newman. Newman the conditions of one sad man FATHER AND SON: Wg Cdr Tony Newman and Sqn Ldr Tim Newman both piloted Nimrods in the Royal Air Force
at RAF Kinloss. said: “I have always been a big kept with a metal collar around
Like their father, Wg Cdr Tony
Newman, Tim was a Nimrod draw, too…
pilot – possibly the first and only
father and son who both served
as Nimrod pilots, believes Nick.
He said: “Tim was a really
good cartoonist. He drew a
cartoon called Then and Now
with RAF gags for the magazine,
which was his squadron’s version
of Private Eye. Newington, north west London, with – Trial By Laughter was first serious trouble. The duo were both
what Newman described as ‘a very produced as a comedy drama for pupils at Ardingly College in Sussex
modest tombstone.’ Radio 4 in 2016. and, because of his misdemeanour,
As the one-time ‘most
Newman was asked to leave.
He added: “It typifies his life, he wasn’t
“ I believe my a grand man. Everyone should go there history’ Hislop has more than installed in the chapel and some of
sued man in English legal
He said: “Loud speakers were
father was the first
and pay their respects.”
us thought it would be immensely
pilot to fly Nimrods espite his father’s and brother’s a little in common with Hone, amusing to wire up pop music into
who faced three consecutive
at RAF Dcareers, Newman said he had no trials over three days – as does the chapel during a service. It was
St Mawgan ambitions to join the RAF himself and Newman, whose schoolboy when Ian and his friends were doing
” always wanted to be a journalist. prank once landed him in a service which was like an Alan
His screenwriting career
“I believe my father was the with Hislop started
first pilot to fly Nimrods at RAF with Spitting Image.
St Mawgan. We were brought up They also wrote for
on various bases around Britain The Harry Enfield
and abroad, which was fantastic. Show, created the
It pretty much got me into sitcom My Dad’s The
humour because in those days Prime Minister and
we didn’t have television in places wrote the film A
like Singapore so we listened to Bunch of Amateurs,
Goon Show records. My brother starring Burt
and I knew entire Goon Show Reynolds.
albums back to front.” SPITFIRE PILOT: Cartoonist’s father Tony Newman in the cockpit in 1948 Their play The
Nick’s life-long friend, Private Wipers Times,
Eye editor Ian Hislop, said: “Tim about a satirical
was older than Nick and when I fan of those political cartoonists his neck. Cruikshank was a n e ws p a p er
first arrived at Oxford University from the late 18 and early 19 brilliant artist and drew this in produced in FORCES INTEREST: Nick’s cartoons TONY NEWMAN: Tiger Moth training in his early RAF career
th
th
Tim was the cartoonist who century. They had no fear, no a pamphlet Hone produced that the trenches in
everyone knew.” constraints, they did whatever led to reform and change.” World War I, Bennett monologue, incredibly Hislop said: “I am still Newman added: “I still have
they fancied.” Hone, who had 12 children was a West End funny. immensely grateful. The song was frissons of fear when I hear that
ewman and Hislop have Hislop said: “Hone was one of with his wife Sarah, eight hit. “I remember thinking ‘they will Happy in the Lord by Stackridge. It record. I should have been sent to
Nbeen promoting the UK the first investigative journalists. of whom survived, died in The pair have get into trouble for this’, but when was blasphemous.” Australia.”
tour of their latest play, Trial By To the fury of the judicial 1842 aged 62. He is buried in also co-written LIFE-LONG PALS PALS: Nick Newman and the pop music started playing Ian Its first line is: ‘Riding with a n See: RnR p3 for Nick
Laughter. Based on real events, establishment he investigated Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke extensively for radio Private Eye colleague Ian Hislop (left) and co were completely forgotten.” Spitfire on my tail.’ Newman’s top 10 playlist.