William James Middleton

Rank 
Sergeant
Regiment 
Royal Air Force
Date of death 
4 October 1918
Age of death 
21
Address 
10 Elm Grove
Woodford Green
Woodford
IG8 0UW
Address source 
1911 Census
Local memorial 
Cemetery / Memorial 
France
Biography 

Born on 7th May 1897 at Horton Kirby in Kent, son of James (Butcher) and Mary Ann Middleton. 1901: With his parents at 10 New Street, Gravesend. 1911: A Scholar with his family at 10 Elm Grove, Woodford Green. The family home was later 54 Chingford Lane. For many years he was an Assistant Scoutmaster with the 2nd Epping Forest Troop of the Baden Powell Scouts, and was one of those scouts who had performed air raid watching duty at the fire station.

Leaving his employment as a Cordite Packer, he enlisted in the Royal Navy on 15th June 1916 for the duration of the war. He was allocated to the Royal Naval Air Service, going to Kingsnorth in Kent until 30th June 1917, and then to HMS “Daedlus”, a Naval Air Station on the Solent in Hampshire. Deployed to Dunkirk on 1st February 1918 as an Observer/Gunlayer with 5N Squadron of the RNAS, he transferred to the new Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918 where he served with 205 Squadron at Conteville - Bois de Roche.

The Supplement to the London Gazette dated 21st September 1918 announced the award of a Distinguished Flying Medal. The citation read that: “He has taken part in 67 raids and has shown conspicuous gallantry and skill in bombing enemy lines of communication, dumps and aerodromes. On one occasion he obtained six direct hits, despite intense anti-aircraft fire”.

He could also claim six German aircraft shot down between 9th March 1918 and 4th September 1918.

On the morning of 3th October 1918 while flying over enemy lines, his D.H.4 came under attack by four German aircraft and he was shot in the abdomen. Flown back to his airfield he was removed to 32 CCS, but died in the early hours of 4th October 1918. He had regained consciousness but was not strong enough to survive. He was due to go on leave from 10th October 1918.

On 23rd August 1919 The London Gazette announced the award of the French Medaille d'Honneur avec Glaives, en Argent.

Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian

Sources:

Ancestry.com