LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Alan Stewart MIDDLETON
Service No: 406028
Born: Perth WA, 5 August 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 May 1940
Unit: No. 223 Squadron (RAF), Shandur, Egypt
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 12 Squadron (SAAF) Maryland aircraft 1655), Egypt, 17 July 1941, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward Isaac and Violet Amelia Middleton, of Claremont, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Remembered: Honour Avenues, Kings Park WA
Brother of Flight Sergeant Leonard Stewart Middleton (406400)
Maryland 1655 crashed three miles north of the Suez Cairo road, approximately 30 miles from Suez. The aircraft was engaged in carrying out certain exercises which included firing at a ground targets. During these manoeuvres the Pilot was engaged in firing practice with the front gun. The Pilot dived the aircraft too steeply near the ground, and in attempting to recover, the aircraft became power stalled at a low height and crashed. All the crew members were killed.
The crew members of Maryland 1655 were:
Second Lieutenant Reginald A W Blatherwick (103272) (SAAF) (Pilot)
Air Sergeant James Selwyn Dunn (102312) (SAAF) (Air Gunner)
Air Sergeant Adam Morthimus Fowler (102170) (SAAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Alan Stewart Middleton (406028) (Observer)
Bibliography:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/45/109