Neil (Rusty) MIDDLING

MIDDLING, Neil

Service Number: VX46677
Enlisted: 5 August 1940, Caulfield, Victoria
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 2nd/22nd Infantry Battalion
Born: Bendigo, Victoria, Australia , 23 October 1916
Home Town: Hexham, Moyne, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Farm labourer
Died: Died of Illness, At sea (en route to Port Moresby), 17 February 1942, aged 25 years
Cemetery: Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea
Plot B.B.4
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Shire of Mortlake War Memorial
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World War 2 Service

5 Aug 1940: Enlisted Private, VX46677, Caulfield, Victoria
5 Aug 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VX46677, 2nd/22nd Infantry Battalion
17 Feb 1942: Involvement Private, VX46677, 2nd/22nd Infantry Battalion

Private Neil Middling

Neil MIDDLING, VX46677

Private, A.I.F. 2/22nd Infantry Battalion

Died 17th February 1942, aged 25 years

Place of Enlistment was Caulfield, Victoria

Son of Humphrey Moses and Elizabeth Middling, of Bendigo Victoria

Photo is dated 28/12/1941, less than 50 days before he died from illness enroute from Rabaul to Port Moresby - he has been listed as buried at Plot B.B.4 at the Rabaul War Cemetery.

Note on the back reads - "To Alice with love, your old pal Rusty. Think I'm boxing weight but slightly heavier than when I left Hexham. This was taken in Rabaul early this month"

Alice was the daughter of Sydney Veal, the head stockman at Myngrong Station in Dundonnell Victoria. Every likelihood she meet Neil Middling while he was working as a stockman or shearer in the district.

As a child Alice used to speak sadly about "all the lads from Woorndoo and Hexham who were killed in Rabaul" as a number of men in the 2/22 Bn were recruited from the Western District of Victoria.

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