Newson Road was dedicated by the Canada Lands Company on May 22, 2012, as part of their redevelopment of Edmonton’s former Canadian Forces Base (Griesbach Barracks).
William Francis Montgomery (Bill) Newson, DSO, DFC, CD, B. Eng., was born in Calgary, Alberta, on July 19, 1917. He attended Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, where he graduated in Civil Engineering in June 1939, and immediately joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He learned to fly at Camp Borden, Ontario, and his first assignment was to fly coastal operations, escorting convoys on the Atlantic crossings, often under very difficult weather conditions.
He transferred to the United Kingdom Ferry Command and joined the No. 408 Squadron and during operations his aircraft sustained serious damage on two occasions. For outstanding courage and leadership he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. In June of 1943, he was posted as Squadron Commander to No. 431 Squadron. He demonstrated outstanding courage and leadership in the completion of very long range bomber sorties, for which he was awarded a Bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross.
In October 1944, Group Captain Newson was appointed Commanding Officer of 405 Pathfinder Squadron where he remained to the end of hostilities in Europe. He was one of Canada's most outstanding bomber pilots of the Second World War. Following the Second World War, General Newson held a number of senior staff and command appointments in Canada and overseas. From 1964 to 1968, Brigadier General William Newson was Commander of the North American Radar Air Defense 36th Division in Topsham, Maine where he was responsible for the air defense of the northeastern approaches to North America. He was the first Canadian to command a North American Radar Air Defense base on American soil.
He retired from the Armed Forces in 1972 after accumulating nearly 6,000 flying hours. Newson was approached in 1977 to take on the role of Executive Vice President of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. He brought to fruition the concept of this unique institution and preserved the human aspects of Canadian aviation heritage for the benefit of the nation. He was inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame in 1984.