St John's Cathedral, Brisbane and the Anzac Legend

Painting of a young Australian Lancaster bomber crew from 460 Squadron, RAAF, made by artist Stella Bowen in London, 1944. Oil on canvas. Bowen’s pencil sketches for the painting were made just before the crew took off for a night raid on Germany during which all but one crew member were killed.

Australian War Memorial ART26265

Author Peter Rees recalls the heroism of 26-year-old Australian pilot Ron Middleton of Bomber Command. One night in 1942, Middleton set out for a raid on Turin, a major industrial centre of Italy, an ally of Germany. He was flying a four-engined Stirling bomber dubbed ‘H-for-Harry’ but, once over the Italian city was attacked by anti-aircraft guns. A shell blew a large hole in the wing and another burst in the cockpit, badly wounding Middleton and his co-pilot. Middleton decided to head for home but, with insufficient fuel to make it back to base, he ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft over the English coast while he continued to fly the plane back out to sea. Five of the crew parachuted out and survived but shortly afterwards the plane crashed into the ocean. Saddled by his injuries, Middleton was trapped in the aircraft and perished. Later, his body was washed ashore and a funeral was conducted for him in Britain by an Australian chaplain. It was attended by a friend, Doris Walsh, a nursing sister from Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, also stationed in Britain.

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