Australian Military Units

Pilot Officer Rawdon Hume Middleton, VC

Date of birth  1916-07-22  Waverley, NSW. 
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs)  1940-10-14  Enlisted in the RAAF under the Empire Air Training Scheme. 
Other  1941-09  Posted to Britain. 
Date promoted  1941-12  Promoted to flight sergeant. 
Other units  1942-02  Was appointed to No 149 Squadron, Royal Air Force. In the next few months he acted as a second pilot in raids against Ruhr. 
Date promoted  1942-07  Appointed to position of first pilot. 
Other  1942-07-31  Captained an aircraft for the first time in a raid against Dusseldorf. 
Other  1942-11-07  Flew in a raid on Genoa. 
Other  1942-11-20  Flew in a raid targeting the Royal Arsenal at Turin. 
Date of honour or award  1942-11-28 - 1942-11-29  Awarded Victoria Cross posthumously for action at Turin, Italy whilst serving with RAAF attached to No 149 Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command, RAF as a flight sergeant. Although the citation of his Victoria Cross shows his rank as flight sergeant, his commission as a pilot officer was back dated to the 15th November 1942. After a night raid on Turin Middleton's aircraft was damaged and low on fuel. Middleton and his second pilot were also severely wounded. Despite his diminishing strength Middleton made the decision to head for the English coast, where five of his crew were able to parachute to safety. Middleton, however, and two of his crew did not survive. Middleton died trying to ensure the safety of his crew. 
Date of death  1942-11-29  Died as the result of a plane crash in the English Channel. 
Date of burial  1943-02-05  Middleton was washed ashore at Shakespeare Beach, Dover, on 1 February 1943. He was buried with full military honours in the churchyard of St John's, Beck Row, Suffolk.