Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Charles Middleton served in 460 Squadron, part of Bomber Command based at Binbrook, England.

On the night of 19 October 1944 he was in a plane which took part in a raid on Stuttgart. The aircraft was a four-engined Lancaster bomber from 460 Squadron. 460 Squadron was predominantly made up of Australian RAAF personnel. The plane's squadron lettering was AR-Z and serial number PB152. The other crew members were:
Pilot Flight Officer Peter FONTAINE (Australian)
Engineer Sergeant Arthur CHISMAN (English)
Navigator Warrant Officer Reginald George Bain (Australian)
Bomb Aimer Flight Officer Charles MIDDLETON (Australian)
Wireless Operator Flight Sergeant George NEWMAN (Australian)
Mid-upper Gunner Warrant Officer Reginald KRUTLI (Australian)
Tail Gunner Flight Sergeant Edward KENEALY (Australian)

The plane was shot down by a German Junkers 88 night fighter near Tubingen, Germany. The only survivor was the Navigator, Reginald George BAIN. His account of the night and his subsequent time as a POW can be found under his name on this VWMA website. In 2003, Reg Bain fulfilled a life-long wish to return to Germany to pay his respects to his fellow crew members. He visited the site of their crash near Tubingen and their graves in Durnbach War Cemetery.