Leading Aircraftman Edgar Nicholas Middlemiss

Edgar Nicholas Middlemiss was born at Rockburn, Quebec, on 24 December 1921, the son of Wallace Henry Middlemiss, a carpenter whose family address was 209 Chateauguay Street in Huntingdon, and Sadie Wilkinson Rennie, who was born at Franklin Centre, Quebec. He attended McKey Public School from 1928 to 1935. His service papers state that he left school at age 15 after seven years of public school; other records note High School Entrance and later record Grade 8. Before enlistment Middlemiss reported three years in the blacksmith trade and five years of farming experience. Born on a farm, he considered himself competent to operate a mixed farm, although he did not intend to farm after the war. His civilian work included farm work for his father, work as a helper for Rockburn blacksmith S. R. MacDonald, and employment in Valleyfield as a welder's helper for H.F. McLean Ltd. The occupational-history form records about six months with H.F. McLean and says the employer was willing to re-employ him after discharge; a later counselling report instead names D.I.L. in Valleyfield as his last employer and records eight months of temporary welder work. His papers also record extensive pre-service driving experience. His attestation names character references from Huntingdon and Rockburn, including garage, blacksmith, storekeeping and office-clerk connections, further tying his pre-service life to the local community. Middlemiss enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal on 30 July 1941. He entered as an Aircraftman 2nd Class, progressed through Aircraftman 1st Class and Leading Aircraftman, was appointed Acting Corporal in August 1942, and served as Corporal (Temporary) from June 1943 until reverting to Leading Aircraftman in March 1944. His wartime service included General Duties and ground-warfare training at RCAF Station Annette Island, Alaska, where an instructor assessed him as above average and a personnel assessment described him as a keen and reliable worker. His extensive pre-service driving experience was put to use in the RCAF Motor Transport Section; an October 1943 recommendation described him as a capable M.T. driver, and he subsequently served in Driver Transport. In June 1945 he volunteered for Pacific-theatre service, although the surviving record does not establish subsequent Pacific deployment. During release counselling in October 1945 he chose auto mechanic as his intended civilian career, identified garage work as his prospective field, and planned to return to Huntingdon, Quebec. He was honourably released at Lachine on 19 October 1945 on completion of his voluntary wartime service.

1921-12-24 — Born in Rockburn, Quebec. Place / Unit: Rockburn, Quebec
1941-07-30 — Enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal as Aircraftman 2nd Class. Place / Unit: Montreal / Royal Canadian Air Force
1941-08-14 — Taken on strength at No. 1 Manning Depot, Toronto. Place / Unit: Toronto, Ontario / No. 1 Manning Depot
1941-08-15 — Taken on strength at RCAF Station Rockcliffe. Place / Unit: Rockcliffe, Ontario / RCAF Station Rockcliffe
1941-10-10 — Struck off strength from RCAF Station Rockcliffe. Place / Unit: Rockcliffe, Ontario / RCAF Station Rockcliffe
1941-10-30 — Reclassified/promoted Aircraftman 1st Class. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1942-01-30 — Promoted Leading Aircraftman. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1942-02-17 — Proceeded on annual leave through 1942-03-03. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1942-08-12 — Appointed Acting Corporal. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1942-10-10 — Proceeded on annual leave through 1942-10-24. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1943-04-18 — Completed one-week Ground Warfare Course at RCAF Station Annette Island, Alaska; passed First Aid, Unarmed Combat, Sten/Thompson/Lewis Gun theory, Rifle theory and Gas. Range scores were 75% on Sten, Thompson and Lewis guns and 62.4% on rifle. Instructor assessed him as above average and keenly interested in all subjects. Place / Unit: Annette Island, Alaska / RCAF
1943-05-15 — Proceeded on annual leave through 1943-05-28. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1943-06-01 — Appointed Corporal (Temporary), effective 1 June 1943, following service as Acting Corporal. Place / Unit: RCAF Station Annette Island, Alaska
1943-06-15 — Proceeded on special leave through 1943-06-21. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1943-07-30 — Confidential Personal Assessment at Annette Island described him as a keen and reliable worker; promotion recommendation was Ordinary, no adverse conduct entries were recorded for the preceding twelve months, commission assessment was N.A., and drill qualification extended through Squad. Place / Unit: Annette Island, Alaska / Royal Canadian Air Force
1943-10-29 — Memorandum requested that he be listed for the forthcoming trade test to remuster to Driver Transport; while mustered General Duties he had worked in the M.T. Section for the previous four months in all phases of transport work and on various equipment. It cited five years of pre-enlistment driving for a livelihood, approximately 75,000 miles, and described him as a capable M.T. Driver. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1943-12-06 — Consultant examination of fingers at Shaughnessy Hospital reported bones apparently negative. Place / Unit: Shaughnessy Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia
1943-12-06 — Struck off strength from Western Air Command Headquarters. Place / Unit: Western Air Command Headquarters
1943-12-07 — Taken on strength at No. 5 Manning Depot. Place / Unit: No. 5 Manning Depot
1944-03-17 — Reverted to Leading Aircraftman. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1944-08-14 — Proceeded on leave through 1944-08-20. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1944-09-18 — Committed offence of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline; subsequently convicted by District Court-Martial and awarded 35 days detention. Place / Unit: No. 1 T.T. Depot, Lachine, Quebec
1945-06-28 — At Greenwood, Nova Scotia, a document titled 'Service in the Pacific Theatre' recorded that he volunteered for service in the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Pacific Theatre. This records volunteering only, not actual Pacific deployment. Place / Unit: Greenwood, Nova Scotia / Royal Canadian Air Force
1945-07-18 — Referred from No. 8 O.T.U., Greenwood, for ophthalmology/refraction; he reported no complaints and had been unaware of visual deficiency. Examination found simple hyperopia of the right eye and compound hyperopic astigmatism of the left eye; glasses were prescribed. Ophthalmologist completed the case sheet at No. 5 R.M.B., Dartmouth, on 21 July 1945. Place / Unit: Greenwood, Nova Scotia / No. 8 O.T.U.; No. 5 R.M.B., Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
1945-07-26 — Proceeded on annual leave through 1945-08-01. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1945-09-01 — Proceeded on annual leave through 1945-09-07. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1945-09-21 — Proceeded on special leave through 1945-10-13. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
1945-10-16 — Medical Board at No. 2 Release Centre found him fit for release processing; no medical diagnosis requiring discharge. Place / Unit: No. 2 Release Centre, Lachine, Quebec
1945-10-19 — Honourably released from the Royal Canadian Air Force on completion of voluntary service during the emergency, with final rank Leading Aircraftman. Place / Unit: No. 2 Release Centre, Lachine, Quebec
1945-10-19 — Personnel counselling at No. 2 Release Centre recorded 52 months General Duties and 19 months Driver Transport, including 14 months in Alaska; intended post-service residence Huntingdon. Place / Unit: No. 2 Release Centre, Lachine, Quebec
1945-10-19 — Struck off strength and released to the Reserve on completion of voluntary service during the emergency. Place / Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force