Australian Victoria Cross Recipient
Flight Sergeant Rawdon Hume Middleton
Unit
RAAF, attached to No. 149 Squadron RAF
Born
22 July 1916 at Waverley, New South Wales
Date of action
28-29 November 1942
Place
Raid on Turin, Italy
Details
On his twenty-ninth sortie he was captain of Stirling BF372, an aircraft he had flown only once before. His gunners had all completed their tour of thirty operations but volunteered to stay with Middleton for his last two trips. On the outward journey Middleton experienced difficulty in climbing to the necessary altitude to cross the Alps. Once across he made three low-altitude flights over Turin so that the target could be identified. The aircraft was then subjected to fire from light anti-aircraft guns and a shell burst in the cockpit, shattering the windscreen and wounding both pilots. A piece of shell splinter tore into the side of Middleton’s face destroying his right eye and exposing the bone. The second pilot and wireless operator were also wounded. Middleton lost consciousness and the aircraft dived to 250 metres before control was regained by the second pilot who took the plane up to 500 metres and released the bombs.
Middleton recovered consciousness, ordered the second pilot back to receive first aid, and set course for base. After discussing various alternatives Middleton decided to try and make the English coast so that his crew could leave the aircraft by parachute. He knew that he had little chance of saving himself. Four hours later, after an Alpine crossing, the French coast was reached and Middleton took evasive action when the aircraft was engaged by light anti-aircraft fire. After the plane had crossed the Channel it only had sufficient fuel for five minutes flying. Middleton ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft while he flew parallel with the coast for a few kilometres, after which he intended to head out to sea. Five of the crew left the aircraft safely while two remained to assist him. The aircraft crashed in the sea and the bodies of the front gunner and flight engineer were recovered the following day.
Died
Middleton’s body was washed ashore at Shakespeare Beach, Dover, on 1 February 1943
Buried or Commemorated
St John’s Church, Mildenhall, Suffolk, England
Current location of the VC
Australian War Memorial