Digger remembered with path of honour

A PATHWAY in Torquay will honour the late Sergeant Edward Victor Middleton who served in Belgium and France during World War I.

Surf Coast Shire Council endorsed naming of the path between Merrigig Drive and Rosser Boulevard in The Quay “Middleton Walk”, following a request from his family.

Street names in Torquay’s The Quay estate honour World War I service men and women, in line with the State Government Anzac Commemorative Naming Project.

However there are no available unnamed roads within the estate and council voted at the June meeting to recognise Edward Middleton by naming the shared pathway after him.

Edward, the son of William and Louisa Middleton, was born at Connewarre in 1891 and left his life as a dairy farmer to enlist in the infantry in 1916, aged 24.

Cr Gary Allen, who moved the recommendation after researching Edward Middleton’s service history, said he enlisted as an acting corporal in the 59th battalion as reinforcement to other experienced servicemen who had fought in Gallipoli.

“He served in Fromelles and Ypres, Belgium, where he experienced fierce fighting around Polygon Wood,” Cr Allen told councillors, when the street-naming proposal went to council in April.

Cr Allen said Edward was promoted to the rank of sergeant in August 1917 and was wounded twice during 1917 and then more seriously in June 1918 in Villers-Bretonneux when he was part of the allied counter-attack, responding to the German spring offensive. He said the serviceman returned to Australia in January 1919.

“He and thousands of young men endured unspeakable dangers, and it’s right we should honour him in this way,” Cr Allen said.
Edward’s grandson, John Clifford, said he had many fond memories of his grandfather, who died in 1984, and he was proud that the pathway would honour him and his service to Australia.

John, who lives in Torquay, said he regularly rode his bike through The Quay and was pleased his grandfather would be remembered in such a special area.

“I do that loop every day,” he said.

“It all started when I was riding my bike through The Quay and saw all the street signs with the names of others who served.

“My grandfather’s name is at Point Danger, so out of interest, I asked whether he could have a street named after him.”

The ANZAC Commemorative Naming Project was established by the state government in partnerships with councils during the ANZAC centenary period from 2014 to 2018.

While the project has formally ended, residents can still acknowledge the wartime service and sacrifice of their local military service people and locals who supported Australia’s military cause.

After researching people who served from their municipalities, they can submit ANZAC naming proposals to their local council in their honour.

Councils then decide which name proposals should be used to name or rename roads, geographical features or localities.

The Surf Coast Shire council will now submit the name Middleton’s Walk to the Office of Geographic Names for final approval.