His tenure as CAS coincided with the release of the Dibb Report on Australia's defence capabilities, and the controversial transfer of the RAAF's battlefield helicopters to the Australian Army.

After matriculating, he worked as a clerk in the Commonwealth Bank, and joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in February 1951.

[1] He underwent flying training at RAAF Base Point Cook, Victoria, and graduated as a sergeant pilot in July 1952.

[3][4] He later recalled that his first sortie was as wingman to a Royal Air Force flight lieutenant: "We flew up past P'yongyang and he showed me enemy gun locations by arranging for them to shoot at us".

[1][2] The wing had been on garrison duty in Malta since July 1952, and Newham was one of five Korean War veterans who replaced pilots posted back to Australia.

[1][2] He formed the RAAF Washington Flying Unit at McClellan Air Force Base, California, on 31 March to ferry the first twelve (out of a total order of twenty-four) General Dynamics F-111C swing-wing bombers to Australia.

[13] Read ordered Newham to operate the F-111 with great caution initially, well within limits, lest the long-delayed and controversial aircraft suffer greater damage to its reputation through early attrition.

[1][2] In 1978 he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies, London, and was made Director General of Operational Requirements in 1979.

[2] In this capacity he visited Israel to investigate air-to-air refuelling operations, coming away favourably impressed: "the Israelis had more match practice than anybody around at the time.

[20][21] Newham initially endorsed the Federal government's 1986 Review of Australia's Defence Capabilities, otherwise known as the Dibb Report, but shortly afterwards publicly criticised its "understanding of the application of air power" and "debatable judgments", especially its lukewarm attitude to the employment of the F-111s for strategic strike.

[24] Newham's term as CAS was also marked by the Federal government's decision to transfer the RAAF's battlefield helicopters to the Australian Army, against the recommendation of an independent committee.

[26][27] Newham completed his tenure as CAS on 3 July 1987 and was succeeded by Air Marshal Ray Funnell.

[28] Newham was one of ten surviving veterans of the squadron belatedly presented with the US Air Medal in Canberra on 27 June 2011, for meritorious service in the Korean War.