| Place | Europe: United Kingdom, England |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | S00097 |
| Collection type | Sound |
| Object type | Radio broadcast |
| Physical description | sound disc (vinyl); 78 rpm |
| Maker |
Skinner, Norman Edward British Broadcasting Corporation |
| Date made | 14 January 1943 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
| Copying Provisions | Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction. |
Pilot Officer N E Skinner, wireless operator, 149 Squadron RAF, 28-29 November 1942, describes the action for which Flight Sergeant Rawdon Hume Middleton was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
Description
Rawdon 'Ron' Middleton VC was the captain of Stirling Bomber "H" for Harry, 149 Squadron RAF on the night of 28-29 November 1942. The aircraft was en route to bomb the Fiat factory in Turin, Italy when they were hit by flak and Middleton was wounded. Running low on fuel and badly injured, Middleton was determined to get the aircraft and crew back to England. They were hit by more anti-aircraft fire over France, and Middleton had his crew bail out just off the coast of England. Middleton went down with the plane and was killed, his body being recovered in 1943. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Pilot Officer Skinner was the wireless operator on this mission, and was the last crew member to bail out and survive.