5064 Private A Middleton, 2nd Battalion the (Prince of Wales's Own) West Yorkshire Regiment. The battalion deployed to South Africa for the Second Anglo Boer War, sailing on the Roslin Castle on 19 Oct 1899, and arrived at the Cape about 8 Nov 1899 and at Durban about the 11 Nov 1899. Along with the 2nd Queen's, 2nd Devons, and 2nd East Surrey, they formed the 2nd Brigade under Major General Hildyard, part of the Ladysmith relief force. They fought at Willow Grange on 22 Nov 1899 in a night attack on Boer forces under Joubert (10 killed, 50 wounded). At Venter's Spruit the battalion had some very severe fighting on the left of Warren's force, particularly on 21 Jan 1900, and at Vaal Krantz on 7 Feb 1900. During the battle of Tugela Heights (13-27 Feb 1900), the breakthrough to Ladysmith the battalion were constantly in the thickest, including their attacks on Monte Cristo and Railway Hill (Captain Conwyn Mansell-Jones was awarded the VC). After the recuperation period following the relief of Ladysmith, they were involved in the advance north into the Transvaal before undertaking a lot of trekking and hard fighting. On 3 Dec 1900 two companies of the battalion were part of the escort of a convoy travelling to Rustenburg, which was attacked by a large Boer force, but the Boers were driven off (9 killed, 13 wounded). On 6 Feb 1901 a portion of the battalion was very heavily attacked at Bothwell, near Lake Chrissie, Eastern Transvaal, by a big force under Botha (19 killed, 7 wounded). Private Middleton was one of those killed in the action.

He is also commemorated on the West Yorkshire Regiment Boer War memorial in the West Yorkshire Regiment Chapel, York Minster, York, North Yorkshire, England (see: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/30631).