School Archivist John King recently discovered an Old Tiffinian who was sadly killed in the First World War but up to now the School was
unaware of. The pictured article is from the Surrey Comet dated 8th December 1917 and reads as follows:

‘Old Tiffinian Flying Officer Killed

News has been received this week of the death on the Western Front of a flying officer who was well known to many people in Kingston,
namely, lieutenant Leonard Middleton, only son of Mr. and Mrs. James Middleton, who for some years resided in the Lower Ham Road, but removed a few years ago to Purley. Lieutenant Middleton, who was an Old Tiffinian, enlisted on the outbreak of war, and for many months was engaged in very dangerous work as a despatch rider, in which he greatly distinguished himself. He was offered and accepted a Commission, and volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps, and for a long time had been engaged in many hazardous enterprises in France, winning repeated commendation for his intrepid courage in devotion to duty. From one of his dangerous excursions he failed to return, and his comrades found his dead body by the side of his machine near a shell hole.

His Colonel, in a letter to his parents wrote in the very highest terms of Lieutenant MIddleton’s character and work, and said his death was felt as a personal loss by all who knew him, but he died as a British officer would wish to die, doing his duty with his face to the foe. Lieutenant Middleton, who was 22 years of age, was an active member of the Purley Congregational Church, where he was most
successful in his work amongst the boys.’

Now that we are aware of Lieutenant Middleton, we will honour him by adding his name to the First World War memorial in the Main Hall.