Allen C. Middleton
Rank: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army
Serial: O-1640738
Entered service from: New Jersey
Born: , Westville, New Jersey
Died:
Allen C. Middleton
First Lieutenant Allen C. Middleton was born on February 9, 1910, in Westville, New Jersey. He lived with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry N. Middleton, at 430 River Drive in Westville. He attended the public schools there and graduated from Bucknell University in 1931. He then took a teaching assignment at Moscow High School in Pennsylvania. In 1937 he was awarded a master of arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and became head of the Latin and French departments at Bergenfield High School. He also attended the Sorbonne in Paris and received a degree in French.
Lieutenant Middleton entered the Army in April 1942, was commissioned at Fort Monmouth, and was sent to Washington as a Signal Corps aide. He was sent overseas at his own request. On January 11, 1945, he was shot and killed in Brisbane, Australia, by a discharged Australian soldier who, describing himself as the “man in gray,” resented the presence of Americans in Australia and threatened to “kill more of them.”
He was survived by his parents; a brother, Richard, in the Navy; and two sisters, Mrs. John D. Lawrence and Mrs. Frank W. Cunningham, both of Westville.
Allen C. Middleton
Middleton’s Death Confirmed by Army
Camden Courier-Post —
Westville Officer Killed Jan. 11 by ‘Fanatic’ in Australia
The War Department yesterday officially identified the U. S. Army officer slain in Australia by a discharged soldier of that country, as First Lieut. Allen C. Middleton, of 430 River drive, Westville.
The telegram notifying Mr. and Mrs. Harry N. Middleton, the slain man’s parents, of his death, gave no details, merely stating he was killed on Jan. 11.
Australian police arrested a suspect in the slaying of Middleton and another American serviceman. They said the prisoner was a fanatic who, describing himself as the “man in gray,” resented the presence of the Yanks in Australia and threatened to “kill more of them.”
The anxiety of Lieutenant Middleton’s parents began on Jan. 13, when they saw a newspaper dispatch from Brisbane stating: “An American officer, Lieut. Allen C. Middleton, a recent arrival, whose home town is not given, was shot fatally. Police sought a civilian seen leaving the scene after the shooting. Middleton died before he could make a statement.”
The Middletons, knowing their son had arrived recently in Australia, cabled him but received no reply.
Lieutenant Middleton was born in Westville Feb. 9, 1910. He attended the public schools there and was graduated from Bucknell University in 1931. Following this, he took a teaching assignment at Moscow High school, in Pennsylvania. In 1937, he was awarded a master of arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and took a post as head of the Latin and French departments at Bergenfield High school. He also attended the Sorbonne in Paris and received a degree in French there.
Lieutenant Middleton entered the Army in April, 1942, was commissioned at Fort Monmouth and sent to Washington as a Signal Corps aide. He was sent overseas by his own request.
Besides his parents, he is survived by a brother, Richard, in the Navy, and two sisters, Mrs. John D. Lawrence and Mrs. Frank W. Cunningham, both of Westville.