Rawdon (Ron, Mid) Middleton

Australian pilot Rawdon Hume ‘Ron’ Middleton was posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross (VC) for his heroic actions in November 1942. His was the first Victoria Cross awarded to an Australian Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) officer during World War II.

Early life

Ron was born in Waverley, Sydney on 22 July 1916. His parents were Faith, a former governess and Francis 'Frank', a rural property manager. Ron had one brother, Osman. The family lived and worked on properties in NSW's Hunter region, the Central West and Northern Tablelands.

As a young man, Ron was a keen sportsman and enjoyed playing cricket and football despite being slightly built. After high school he worked as a jackaroo at Leewong, a station at Yarrabandi, Central West NSW which was managed by his father.

At 15, Ron took his first flight in an aeroplane when Captain Les Holden visited Armidale in 1931. He took members of the public on joy rides. During the 1920s and 30s it was common for former World War I pilots to visit country towns offering joy flights and drumming up interest in aviation. First Nations Australian fighter pilot, Len Waters' passion for flying was sparked in a similar way.

In 1933, while at Dubbo High School, Ron was introduced to another pilot. Guest speaker Charles Ulm spoke of the first non-stop flight across Australia and the first Australia to New Zealand flight.

Ron's interest in flying grew. Marie Middleton, the wife of Osman Middleton, recalled his passion:

[Rawdon] wanted to be an airman and wrote an essay about it when he was a small boy which won a prize – I remember hearing this from his mother. He was going to be a flier right from the beginning – it was the only thing he wanted to do.

[History Parkes, 'Rawdon Middleton VC', 2 April 2019, Parkes Shire Library]

With the outbreak of war only a few years away, it wasn't long before he got his wings.

Wartime service

Ron joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 14 October 1940, aged 24. He began flight training at No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) at Narromine, under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS).

Ron embarked for Canada in February 1941. After additional training, he was posted to 149 Squadron Royal Air Force (RAF). This was a night bomber unit within the RAF Bomber Command based in Suffolk, England.

RAF Bomber Command played a vital role in Britain's war against Germany. Airmen carried out more than 300,000 operations against German and Italian targets. One of their roles was to disrupt enemy war production. Flying night-time bomber missions was particularly dangerous. An estimated half of all RAF bomber crews were killed on these missions.

Ron was well-respected by those who worked with him. Wireless operator, Norman Skinner, who flew with him, later said:

Ron Middleton ... was 26 years old and about the most modest chap I've ever met, and one of the best-looking. He was so efficient that the three gunners of his crew asked to be allowed to continue to fly with him, even though they had completed their own tour of operations. There were with us on this trip to Turin.

[Bob Piper, 'Middleton's sacrifice an inspiration - forever', RAAF News, 1 April 1993]

Norman described Ron as an 'artist at throwing a bomber about' and who put his crew first. Norman survived the crash that killed Ron but was later killed in an air crash over the Netherlands in November 1944.

While at RAF Base Mildenhall in Suffolk, Ron met and fell in love with an English nurse in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), Mary Giddings. The couple planned to announce their engagement at the end of 1942.

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Final mission

On 29 November 1942, Ron and his aircrew flew a night raid on the Fiat works in Turin. It was Ron's 29th bomber mission, one short of him completing his operational tour.

Turin was a major producer of arms and materials for the enemy war effort. From 1940 to 1945, there were repeated bombing raids on the city. These raids targeted factories making chemicals, bombs, planes, weapons and railway works. Turin also housed Italy's biggest oil storage plant and produced cars for the Italian military.

During the raid Ron's plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire. A shell ripped through the plane's cockpit. Ron's right eye was completely destroyed, leaving the bone exposed. He lost consciousness. Despite his own injuries, Flight Sergeant Leslie Anderson Hyder as second pilot took control of the heavy bomber and managed to still release the bombs on their target.

Seriously wounded by enemy fire, the Leslie continued to fly his Stirling bomber BF372 for hours to allow most of his crew to safely bail out. Flying over Southern England, lacking fuel, critically injured and with a high risk of crashing over a town or village, Roy chose to ditch the plane into the sea. Ron, Flight Sergeant Mackie and Sergeant James Jeffrey were all killed. Mackie and Jeffrey had insisted on staying to help.

Eventually Ron came to. Norman recalled:

Middleton ordered the second pilot back to the rest bunk to have his wounds dressed. He too had been badly hit. The wounds on his face were dried with gauze. His hand had been torn and was dressed with a pad, but he refused to have a tourniquet put on his wounded leg. 'I want to go back and help Ron,' he said. He shambled past me, head forward, looking in his determination like a wounded bear. I saw the blood stains on his green flying suit as he passed the lights on the engineer's panel, and I could not imagine how he kept standing.

[Bob Piper, 'Middleton's sacrifice an inspiration - forever', Published 1 April 1993 in RAAF News (National : 1960-1997), Trove]

The situation was dire. The Stirling bomber was badly damaged, its pilots wounded, and it was running desperately short of fuel. Rather than crash-land over enemy held Italy or France, Ron and his crew decided to risk the 4-hour flight back to base in England.

As England's south coast came into view, Ron ordered his crew to prepare to bail out. Those who survived the crash were:

• Flight Sergeant Leslie Anderson Hyder (second pilot)
• Pilot Officer Norman Edward Skinner (wireless operator)
• Sergeant Douglas Cameron (mid-upper gunner)
• Sergeant Harold Wray Gough (rear gunner)
• Flying Officer George Reicher Royde (navigator).

Flight Engineer, Sergeant James Jeffrey and Air Gunner, Sergeant John Mackie were last to leave. Neither survived and their bodies were recovered on 29 January 1942.

So not to crash over a village or town, Ron ditched the plane in the English Channel. His body washed up on a Dorset beach in February 1943.

The heroism of all the crew was widely praised in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia. The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) was awarded to Flight Officer Royde and Pilot Officer Skinner. The Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) was awarded to Flight Sergeant Hoyder, Sergeant Cameron and Sergeant Gough. Sergeant Mackie and Sergeant James Jeffrey were mentioned in dispatches.

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Victoria Cross citation

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL HAS RECEIVED ADVICE THAT HIS MAJESTY THE KING HAS APPROVED OF THE FOLLOWING AWARD— 13th January, 1943: —

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE. For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice:

VICTORIA CROSS.

Flight Sergeant Rawdon Hume Middleton, Aus./402745, No. 149 Squadron.

Flight Sergeant Middleton was captain and first pilot of Stirling aircraft detailed to attack Fiat works, Turin, one night in November, 1942. Great difficulty was experienced in climbing to 12,000 feet to cross the Alps which led to excessive consumption of fuel. So dark was the night that the mountain peaks were almost invisible. During the crossing Flight Sergeant Middleton had to decide whether to proceed or turn back, there being barely sufficient fuel for the return journey. Flares were sighted ahead and he continued the mission and even dived to 2,000 feet to identify the target despite the difficulty of regaining height. Three flights were made over Turin at this low altitude before the target was identified. The aircraft was then subjected to fire from light anti-aircraft guns. A large hole appeared in port main plane which made it difficult to maintain lateral control. A shell then burst in the cockpit shattering the windscreen and wounding both pilots. A piece of shell splinter tore into the side of Flight Sergeant Middleton's face destroying his right eye and exposing the bone over the eye. He was probably wounded also in the body or legs; the second pilot received wounds in head and both legs which bled profusely. The wireless operator was also wounded in the leg.

Flight Sergeant Middleton became unconscious and the aircraft dived to 800 feet before control was regained by the second pilot who took aircraft up to 1,500 feet and released the bombs. There was still light flak, some very intense, and the aircraft was hit many times. The three gunners replied continuously until the rear turret was put out of action. Flight Sergeant Middleton had now recovered consciousness and when clear of target ordered the second pilot back to receive first aid. Before this was completed the latter insisted on returning to the cockpit as the captain could see very little and could only speak with loss of blood and great pain. The course was set for the base and crew now faced the Alpine crossing and homeward flight in the damaged air-craft with insufficient fuel. The possibilities of abandoning the aircraft or landing in Northern France were discussed but Flight Sergeant Middleton expressed the intention of trying to make the English coast so that his crew could leave the aircraft by parachute. Owing to wounds and diminishing strength, lie knew that by then he would have little or no chance of saving himself. After four hours the French coast was reached and here the aircraft, flying at 6,000 feet, was once more engaged and hit by intense light anti-aircraft fire. Flight Sergeant Middleton was still at controls and mustered sufficient strength to take evasive action.

After crossing channel there was only sufficient fuel for five minutes' flying. Flight Sergeant Middleton ordered crew abandon the aircraft while he flew parallel with the coast for a few miles after which he intended to head out to sea.

Five of crew left the aircraft safely while two remained to assist Flight Sergeant Middleton. The aircraft crashed in sea and the bodies of the front gunner and flight engineer were recovered 011 the following day. The gallant captain was apparently unable to leave the aircraft and his body has not been traced.

Flight Sergeant Middleton was determined to attack the target regardless of the consequences and not to allow his crew to fall into enemy hands. While all the crew displayed heroism of high order, the urge to do so came from Flight Sergeant Middleton whose fortitude and strength of will made possible completion of the mission. His devotion to duty in the face of overwhelming odds is unsurpassed in the annals of the Royal Air Force.

['Government Gazette Notices', Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 4 February 1943, p. 397.]

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Commemoration

Ron Middleton was buried in the churchyard of St. John's, Beck's Row, Suffolk, with full military honours.

Ron has been commemorated in many ways throughout the UK and Australia. His name is listed with other Victoria Cross recipients at London's St Clement Danes Church and other memorials throughout the UK.

In Australia, Ron is remembered in the Central West of New South Wales where he grew up and went to school.

A bronze portrait bust designed by local sculptor, Brett Garling, was unveiled in Dubbo's Victoria Park in 2014. A school and a street are named in Ron's honour in Parkes. There's also a plaque in Gilgandra's Memorial Park.

Ron's Victoria Cross and a portrait by war artist Harold Freedman are held by the Australian War Memorial.

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