Details on death in action of P/O Omer K. Middleton, WOp/AG 407 Squadron Hudsons, 1942?

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

I am looking for details on the date/circumstances of the death in action of P/O Omer K. Middleton, a WOp/AG serving with 407 Squadron Coastal Command in 1942. Who can help?

Cheers and thanks, Theo

[Laurent Rizzotti]

CWGC has a Flt Lt Omer Kenneth Middleton who died on 20 January 1943 with 407 Sqn RCAF.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/c...-omer-kenneth/

You can find the ORB of 407 Sqn (or a diary... not the usual Form 540) there: http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oo...274/20?r=0&s=5

From squadron
"... ??? ??? at night. 12 crews standing by with six a/c doing a double shift. All cancelled expect for Andy whi did his job and failed to return. The squadron will feel the loss of Andy & crew also Middy who was with him."

From "B" flight
I find it barely readable but at least can decypher "At night F/O Andy Anderson with F/Lt ? Middleton F/O Brillinchaw & F/Sgt Mattison went missing on the ??? operation. Andy's loss is felt very deeply in the flight and he is greatly missed. A ??? ??? ??? chap than Andy will be hard to find."
Note: the crew from CWGC: Flg Off William Boyd Anderson, Flg Off Leonard William Birkinshaw, WO2 Frederick Thomas Mattison and Flt Lt Omer Kenneth Middleton, all RCAF, all commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

From the above, I would say that Middy = Flt Lt Middleton who was probably not an usual member of the crew, but possibly the Gunnery Officer of the squadron.

Operation is not clearly described, but could be coastal patrol.

According to http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...d-January-1943, 407 Sqn lost on the 21st (night of 20-21?) the Hudson V AM551. It was the only loss of the month.

Edited: Finally I found the 407 Sqn ORB in the former folder.
Form 540: http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oo...3/1364?r=0&s=4 (confirms an antishipping reconnaissance mission, off the Dutch coast, also confirms that Middleton was the Squadron Gunnery Officer)
Form 541: http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oo...3/1369?r=0&s=4 (confirms Hudson AM551, take off was 1945 hrs, seen by a 320 Sqn crew to drop flares on a convoy, last reported on the way home, no time given for the two events)

[Laurent Rizzotti]

From a chronology of air ops over Netherlands found on a now defunct site:
"20/21 CC.
1945 2 Hudsons despatched on recce off the Dutch coast. A preliminary report states that 1 a/c made an unsuccesful attack on a tanker in a convoy the other a/c is MIA. 2115. Full report of Hudson which attacked a vessel in convoy off the Dutch coast. The convoy of 6 MVs seen off Den Helder and attack was made on the largest MV of 6000 tons with 4 X 250 and all overshot, the nearest being 20 feet to port abaft the beam."

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi Theo,


On 20 January 1943 his aircraft, Hudson AM551, was reported missing from an anti-shipping patrol off the Dutch coast. He is mentioned on the Runnymede Memorial.


Best regards


Luc

[Theo Boiten]

Cheers and thanks for filling in the picture chaps!

Best regards, Theo