VFW Post 1607

Our History

Some historical information about George Newton VFW Post 1607, after whom the post was named, may be found below.

Memories from Art Towne – VFW Historian

The first place I knew where the Post held meetings was in a room in back of Tony Candido's barber shop. This was in the 40's and in the 50'S we met on the first floor of Bullet Hill School, until we acquired the Lakeside club house. While using the school for meetings in 1957 we had our first Memorial Day parade, marching with our colors to place a wreath at the WWI memorial at the end of Old Waterbury Road. The next year we got the scouts to march with us and gave them soda at the church yard. It grew from there. There was a wood memorial with pictures near the phone company building honoring WWII service men and women until a permanent stone monument was erected.

Fred Barnes spoke to VFW Post 1607 about George Newton for whom the post was named.

Mr. Newton was one of the first Southbury men to enter the service of his country when war was declared on April 6, 1917. On December 31, 1917, 174,884 soldiers were serving in Europe. Private George Newton was attached to the 1st Division, Bn. Engineers, which arrived in France on June 26, 1917, and which had seen action at the front by the end of the year. In January, 1918, the 1st Division relieved a French division north of Toul, St. Mihiel Sector. At that time, Mr. Barnes said, neither side has the ability to launch major offensives and trench warfare had existed for some time. On January 29,1918 Pvt. George Newton was killed in action and was buried in the French cemetery "Challerones". By 1922, most American soldiers had been relocated to American cemeteries in France.

Arthur Towne, Post Historian – researched the info about George Newton.

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Post 1607

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150 Lee Farm Drive

Southbury, CT 06488

(203) 264-3995

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