MIDDLETON, John Morrison

MIDDLETON, John Morrison – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWI
SERVICE NO : 775
RANK : Private
UNIT : 11th Light horse Regiment
ENLISTMENT DATE : 5/01/1915
AGE : 29
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Mackay, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Glasgow, Scotland
RELIGION : Presbyterian
OCCUPATION : Labourber
DATE OF DEATH : 31/05/1964
PLACE OF BURIAL : Stanthorpe, Queensland

MEMORIALS : Mackay Old Town Hall WWI Honour Board

View Veteran’s Service File : MIDDLETON, John Morrison

NOTES :

MIDDLETON, John Morrison (Jock) was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 14th April 1885. Jock moved to Australia and at the time of his enlistment in 1915, Jock was working as a cane cutter in Mackay.

Jock was evacuated from Gallipoli to Alexandria on 2nd January 1916. Records in his service file show he was wounded in action in May 1918 and was reported as dangerously ill from a bomb wound to the head and left arm. He was returned to Port Darwin and discharged in January 1919.

Jock married Lily Yapp in November 1919 and became a brother-in-law of Edward (Ted) Cotton 4470.

In August 1920 Jock applied for a War Service Loan and advertised for tenders to build a store at Cottonvale. He and Lily had been living in a tent for two years before the store was completed and opened in 1921.

By 1935, the Post Office and telephone exchange which had been operating beside the railway line were moved to the Cottonvale Store.

His brother James Morrison Middleton served in the British Army during WWI and in the Australian Army 1st Garrison Battalion Q186955 during WWII. James also lived in Stanthorpe for a period of time.

Jock and Lily’s sons Thomas (Tom) Yapp Middleton QX14427 served in the Australian Army and William (Bill) John Middleton 426366 served in the Royal Australian Air Force during WWII. Jock’s daughter Jean married Thomas Gordon Baldwin MID QX11165.

In 1950, Tom built a new Post Office beside the railway line and took over this side of the business from his father. Tom and his wife Daisy operated this business for many years. His brother Bill, took over the store when their father, Jock retired. Bill later sold the business and moved to Dalveen. In 1974 former RAAF veteran, George Francis (Frank) James Wheeler 134840 and his wife Joyce, purchased the Cottonvale Store and operated it until 1979.

Jock passed away in 1964 and is buried in the Stanthorpe cemetery.

Read about Southern Downs Military History here.