Ww1 Royal Flying Corps Night Bomber Sqn Military Cross Group Captain Middleton

Offered is a WW1 Royal Flying Corps, 101 (Night Bomber) Squadron, Military Cross group of 4 medals to Captain Middleton. The back with contemporary engraved namign style - CAPT. 4TH 1918; 1914-15 Star, impressed named, 2. War Medal, renamed , in capital letters CAPT.

MIDDLETON & Victory Medal impressed named CAPT. Medals are court mounted for display. Comes with copies medal index card, medal rolls, London Gazettes, RFC service papers, RFC after action reports, Article by fellow pilot in 101 Sqdn which identifies Middleton in group photograph, 5 enlargements of photographs in article. John Archibald Middleton was Born July 17, 1893 in Leyland, Lancashire and educated at Marlborough 1907-08.

He was apprenticed as a Pupil Engineer in Manchester when the war was declared. He volunteered and was gazetted as a 2. Lieutenant with C Battery, 3 East Lancashire Brigade. (Bolton TF unit) on the 29/8/1914.

The 3rd East Lancashire Brigade RFA (Territorial Forces) was based at the drill hall on Silverton Street in Bolton. It comprised a headquarters, the 18th, 19th and 20th East Lancashire Batteries and the Brigade Ammunition Column. Each battery was armed with four obsolescent 15-pounder field guns. On 31 May 1916 the brigade was renamed as 212 Brigade (CCXII) RFA (TF) and the batteries were renamed as A, B and C.

3rd East Lancs Brigade R. 19th became B Battery & 20th became C Battery. The brigade came under orders of the East Lancashire Division and went to Egypt with the division in September 1914. The 20th Battery fired the Division's first artillery rounds of the Great War, and the first of the Territorial Force of the campaign, near El Ferdan on 2 February 1915.

The 19th Battery was in action in support of Indian and New Zealand troops between Tussum and Serapeum on the night and morning of 34 February 1915, against the attempted crossing of the canal by the 74th Regiment, Turkish 25th Division. The Division and batteries deployed to Gallipoli, with 18th Battery landing at Cape Helles on 25/7/ 1915 and the others on 24 September 1915. Middletons medal index card records him as 22/7/15 as being in theatre. It is believed that this is the date he landed at Gallipoli and was probably with the Division when it landed in Egypt in 1914. During 1916, the Division was in defence of the Suez Canal.

He was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, 12/11/1916 (London Gazette 20/12/1916). On qualifying as a Flying Officer 5/3/1917, he was posted to 101 (Night Bombing Squadron) 25/7/1917. 101 Squadron RFC was formed at Farnborough on 12/7/1917 operating the Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b.

Two weeks later it moved to France to operate as a night bomber squadron. 101 Squadrons planes were painted black apart from insignia. On 25/7/1917 he earned his Military Cross, his citation stating. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On one occasion he made two successive attacks on an enemy aerodrome, and despite a mist and the intense activity of hostile aircraft, dropped his bombs, obtaining two direct hits on the hangars.

On a later occasion, during a gale, he made two journeys to bomb enemy rest billets, obtaining several direct hits on his objectives and attacking hostile transport on the roads with machine-gun fire. He has at all times shown great courage and skill and has set an example which has been of great value to his squadron.

London Gazette 22 April 1918. On the night of 22-23/4/1918 Middleton and his observer Captain R. Smith (Northumberland Hussars attached RFC) crashed on the outward leg of a bombing raid.

Smith was killed and Middleton suffered a broken arm. The crash occurred near Dommartin front line trenches and the aircraft was destroyed by shell fire. This was during the desperate fighting of 1918 German Offensives. Note: "Bomber Squadron at War" by Andrew Brookes (Ian Allen publication) this is about 101 squadron in both WWI and WWII is readily available. We list militaria and coins weekly.

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The item "WW1 ROYAL FLYING CORPS NIGHT BOMBER SQN MILITARY CROSS GROUP CAPTAIN MIDDLETON" is in sale since Thursday, October 10, 2019. This item is in the category "Collectables\Militaria\Modern, Current".

The seller is "jb_military_antiques_14" and is located in 2/135 Russell St, Morley, Perth, WA. This item can be shipped worldwide.

Modified Item: No
Campaign: World War I
Country: Britain
Product Type: Medals
Authenticity: Original
Era: 1910s