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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Spr. George Simpson
Australian Imperial Forces 1st Coy. AustralianTunneling Corps
from:Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Pte. George Simpson
British Army 1st Btn. London Regiment
from:21 Wardlaw Place, Edinburgh
George Simpson was born at 21 Wardlaw Place in Edinburgh on 11th September 1899. At the arrival of the war, he was working as a turner for the foundry at Alex Mather & Son on Dalry Road.
He was in the 1st London Regiment. In among the paperwork is a personal letter of a friend we assume he met during his time in the army, named Harold "Harry" Edgington, residing at the Hope and Anchor Pub on Crowndale Road in Camden Town. We do not have much history on where he served, but one letter does refer to time in France, and we have photographs of the battalion in Mons.
Pte. George David Simpson
British Army 7th Btn. East Kent Regiment
from:West Norwood, London
My Grandfather George Simpson was captured on 22nd of March 1918 in St Quentin having been shot through the shoulder. He was reported missing and it was 3 months before his family were informed on 29th of June 1918 that he had been found. He was sent from Maubeuge to Dulmen and then to Munster I on 23rd of July 1918.
Mjr. H. C.S. Simpson
British Army 173rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Lt-Col. H. C. Simpson DSO
British Army 173rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Lt.Col. Simpson was the Commanding Officer of 173rd Brigade in France and Belgium.
Sgt. Harry Simpson
British Army 16th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
from:Rochdale
(d.28th Jan 1916)
Sgt. Harry Simpson served with the 16th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps and died on 28th January 1916.
Lt. Hubert Sydney Centennial "Bill" Simpson MID
Australian Army AIF 13th Btn.
from:Haberfield, New South Wales
(d.30th Mar 1918)
Hubert Simpson was killed in action on the 30th of March 1918, aged 30 and is buried in the Foncquevillers Military Cemetery in France. He was the son of Frederick Washington Simpson and Emily Simpson, of Trebor, Rawson St., Haberfield, New South Wales.
Born in Sydney, he was known as Bill in the 13th Battalion, which he joined in September 1914. After seeing service at Gallipoli in 1915, Lt Simpson was mentioned in despatches for gallantry in action at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm in August 1916. He was again recommended for a bravery award in February 1918, but was killed by shellfire at Hebuterne on 30 March 1918. In the Battalion history, Lt. Simpson is remembered as one the unit's heroes, who had risen through the ranks "through sheer battle work". His name is inscribed on the Honour Roll of the old GPO in Sydney.
Pte. Hubert Simpson
British Army 22nd Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:11 Barker Square, Morley, West Yorkshire
Hubert Simpson is my grandfather but I never got to meet him. He enlisted on 21st of March 1917 shortly after his eighteenth birthday, probably conscripted. At the time of his enlistment Hubert was working as a dyer in a textile mill in Morley, West Yorkshire. His regimental number upon enlistment was 92184. Hubert started training as a Private in the 11th Training Reserve Battalion in Brocton Camp. He was transferred to the 273rd Infantry Battalion on 8th of August 1917 and to the 52nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry on 1st of November 1917.
Hubert and my Grandmother, Naomi Batley, were married in Stockton-on-Tees on 2nd of March 1918. Naomi told me that after their wedding ceremony Hubert kissed her at the church gate and left to join his battalion. Hubert arrived in Etaples, France on 8th of March 1918 and was transferred to the 22nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry on 29th of March 1918. On 27th of May 1918 Hubert was reported missing in field. Hubert was confirmed a prisoner of war in Germany on 9th of July 1918 and Naomi received a letter advising her of his capture shortly thereafter. My Dad told me that Hubert was made to work in the coal mines in Germany while a prisoner of war. Hubert was not released from the camp until 31st of December 1918/1st of January 1919.
Hubert briefly returned to Morley, West Yorkshire after his release and apparently re-united with Naomi, my Dad was born in November 1919. On 20th of March 1919 Hubert was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Hubert was transferred again on 17th of May 1919 to the Royal Army Service Corps at Durrington Camp, Salisbury Plain. This is where he learned to drive a vehicle. Hubert was de-mobilized on 2nd of December 1919. Hubert went back to his occupation as a dyer at the textile mill in Morley, West Yorkshire. He and Naomi had 4 children together but parted ways in 1944. That is when my Dad lost touch with Hubert and why I never got to meet Hubert. Hubert died on 2nd February 1982 in Morley, West Yorkshire.
Pte. J. Simpson
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Benwell
J Simpson was wounded in July and Oct.1916
Sgt. James Simpson
British Army 28th Company Machine Gun Corps
from:Alloa, Clackmannanshire
(d.17th October 1916)
James Simpson, born in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, was the fifth of David and Bessie Simpson's seven children -- and their first son.
The young sergeant was killed on 17th of October 1916 with several of his comrades as they were about to advance during the Battle Of Delville Wood. He was 23. His death in battle is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France and in the Hall of Honour, Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle.
More than 170,000 men served in the Machine Guns Corps between 1915 and 1922 when the corps was disbanded. Almost 12,500 of these soldiers were killed in battle. Sadly, the entire official record of the corps was destroyed by a fire at its headquarters near Folkestone in 1920.
Lt. James Kirk Simpson MC.
British Army 9th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
from:Birmingham
(d.11th Apr 1918)
James Simpson
British Army 10th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
from:Limavady
Jack Simpson transferred to the 2nd battalion in January 1918. He was severely wounded on 21st March 1918 in the last Battle of the Somme.
Rfmn. James Watson Simpson
British Army 21st (Yeoman Rifles) Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps
from:Carlton
Pte. John George Simpson
British Army 22nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry
(d.19th Jul 1916)
John Simpson died aged 19 whilst serving with the Durham Light Infantry. He was born in Philadelphia, son of Charles and Mary Simpson of 58 Nansen Street Jarrow. He lived and enlisted in Jarrow. In the 1911 Census, he is recorded as John George Simpson, age 14, living with his parents Charles & Mary Simpson & his sister at 17, Hilda terrace, Heburn
John is buried in Cambrin Churchyard Extension and is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow.
Ord Sea. John James Simpson
Royal Navy
Pte. Joseph Simpson
British Army 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:Jarrow, County Durham
(d.2nd Apr 1916)
Joseph Simpson, son of Joseph and Ellen Simpson (nee O'Neil) was born in Jarrow, County Durham. In the 1911 Census Joseph was described as aged 15, working as a Catcher for Riveters, and living with his family at 21 Milton Street, Jarrow. He enlisted in South Shields, and died on 2nd April 1916 aged 20, a few months after arriving in France. He is buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. He is also commemorated on the Palmer Cenotaph in Jarrow.
Pte. Joseph Simpson
British Army 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
(d.2nd Apr 1916)
Joseph Simpson died aged 20, born and living in Jarrow, he was the son of Joseph and Ellen Simpson (nee O'Neil) of 29 Milton Street Jarrow. He enlisted in South Shields. He is buried in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery. Fleurbaix and is commemorated on the Palmer Cenotaph Jarrow.
Joseph Simpson, age 15, a Catcher for Riveters, lived with his parents Joseph & Ellen Simpson & family at 21, Milton Street, Jarrow in the 1911 Census.
Pte. Joseph Marmaduke Simpson
British Army 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment
(d.20th Sep 1918)
Joseph Simpson died aged 19 as a prisoner of war. He was born in Walker in 1899, son of Richard and Sarah Simpson. He lived and enlisted in Jarrow. In the 1911 Census he is recorded as Joseph Marmaduke Simpson age 12, lived with his parents Richard & Sarah Simpson & family at 10, Back York Street, Jarrow.
He is buried in Berlin South Western Cemetery and is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow.
Sgt. Joseph Austin Simpson
British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:Tudhoe, Co. Durham
My Grandfather Joseph Simpson joined the DLI in 1914. He was injured at the Bombardment at Heugh Battery in Hartlepool on 16th Dec. 1914 when a piece of shrapnel went through his cheek. He was rescuing a mate from the beach when he was hit and his gun was blown up. He later made this into a door stop. He was mentioned in dispatches.
He survived the war and went on to become mine manager of Wheatley Hill Pit. In WW2 he was Colonel in charge of the Home guard around Wheatley Hill. He died on 26th December 1954
Pte. Josiah Simpson
British Army 2nd Battalion Grenadiers Guards
from:Ripley, Derbyshire
Josiah Simpson married my Grandmother in the mid 1950's after the death of my Natural Grandfather. Jo as he was always known to the family (except by me as a 6 year old boy, I called him Uncle Jo), had been a professional soldier who joined the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards in 1909. Jo passed away soon after marrying my maternal Grandmother and whenever I visited with my Mother I would try and draw Uncle Jo out about his Great War experiences, as this was endlessly fascinating to a young boy as you can imagine! Like many old soldiers Jo was very reticent about his experiences and I was not old enough to understand how to ask the right questions, and now of course it is far too late. I actually learnt more about Jo's war experiences from my Grandmother who told me amongst other things of the nightmares he still suffered from. She also told me that he had been wounded in action three times (discharged with a severe head injury involving delicate surgery and the fitting of a stainless steel plate in his skull). She also said that Jo had been mentioned in despatches and had received a letter of thanks from the King of which he was immense proud.
I have been able to glean quite a bit of his history, but have now reached a blank, and in the hope that anyone might be able to help me I will tell you what I know: Jo was born in sometime in 1888 and enlisted in the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards 25th February 1909 (aged 21) his army Service Number was 14275. At that time the Guards' regiments recruited men for three years with the colours and nine years on the reserve to be recalled at the outbreak of a general war. So I imagine that Jo would have transferred to the reserve around early 1912. In August 1914 he would presumably have been recalled to the colours at the age of 24 and there is a well known photograph taken outside Wellington Barracks in 1914 showing a queuing line of Grenadier Guard reservists reporting for duty with the colours.
I believe that I can recognise Uncle Jo in that photograph about halfway along the line of queuing Grenadier reservists. Jo was very tall and stood out in any group of which he was part. Even in later life he never lost his soldierly bearing, you would instantly recognise the old soldier from his bearing and dignity.
So much for the facts as I know them, what follows now is pure conjecture on my part. Consulting the excellent book 'Fifteen Rounds A Minute' edited from the diaries of Major M A Jeffreys and others by J.M. Craster, I learned that Major JeffreyĆ¢ā‚¬ā„¢s (acting C/O 2nd Battalion GG) diary entry for Sunday 19th September 1914 records a draft arriving from England comprising the new C/O Colonel Wilfred Smith and several other officers and men during the First Battle of Aisne. This fits rather well with Jo's medal sheet qualifying date of 17th September 1914, allowing for a couple of days to travel from Havre. I also read from the same source that the 2nd Battalion's MG Officer (in command of the battalion's two MGs) Captain William Amherst Cecil M.C. M.I.D had been killed in action 16 September 1914 and other casualties in the MG section had occurred on the same date. I now believe that Jo on arrival in the draft led by his C/O was assigned to one of the two M/G sections to make up the complement and therefore his Company Commander was 'Stag' Cecil's replacement who was 2nd Lieut. Carleton Wyndham Tufnell who had taken over command of the two guns on the death of Cecil. Now Jo told me a tale in which his Company Commander was shot in the head and through the eye of the binoculars he was using to reconnoitre the German positions from a forward position, and in the same moment Jo himself was wounded for the first time. Believing the officer to be still alive and whilst under fire Jo dragged his body back to their own positions where he discovered that the officer had been instantly killed. If this officer was Tufnell then this must have been on November 6th 1914 as this is the date he was KIA. I have read that Lieut. Tufnell was shot during a reconnaissance looking for a good position for the M/Gs. I would have expected this officer would have carried and used binoculars whilst so engaged.
Referring again to 'Fifteen Rounds a Minute' I find the following "Wilfred sent Congleton and his platoon of No 3 and Tufnell with his machine-gun section with orders to act against the flank of the Germans pushing through the gap. Congleton and his platoon went forward with the cavalry, but poor Tufnell was shot through the throat and died soon afterwards. He was a first rate officer and is a great loss. At the first alarm I had posted Tufnell with one machine gun on the Brown Road to guard a ride through the wood, across which the Germans would have had to come to get behind my line of trenches. I also sent Congleton with one platoon to stop the Germans getting through Ć¢ā‚¬Å“the gapĆ¢ā‚¬Ā¯ on my right rear. For some reason, that I have never been able to get an explanation of, Tufnell took his machine-gun with Congleton's platoon. I believe the machine-gun had one good target, but Tufnell was unfortunately hit at this time and I never did find out exactly what did occur." Note that the account has poor Tufnell shot through the throat and not as Jo describes through the eye, so maybe my conjecture falls down at this point - maybe.
It does seem clear that Jo served for nearly 3 years from 17th September 1914 when he arrives in France until 6th July 1917 when he was discharged and awarded the silver war badge, which incidentally he wore in his jacket lapel every day until he died in the mid 1950's. I imagine that when the the 1st Gds Bde MG Coy was formed between 1st September and 19th September, 1915, Jo would have transferred to it and served consequently in actions that the 2nd Battalion were engaged in from September 1914 (Battle of the Aisne) until some time after the battle of Messines now with the 4th Battalion Guards Machine Gun Company. If you have borne with this long winded story, for which I apologise, I now come to the mystery....
01) Did Josiah Simpson get a Mention in Despatches? My Grandmother certainly told me had, together with a letter from the King. Why is this not on his medal sheet if he was in fact awarded a MID. I should have thought nearly 3 years in the front line, wounded in action three times (the latter seriously), recovering an officer's body under fire whilst wounded himself should have merited a bit more that the the three 'gongs' that everyone else received.
02) What has happened to Jo's medals (he had a daughter Edna and a Grandson Gerald, both long deceased) maybe they were passed down, but do you think we could still trace them? Anything you can help with I will be most grateful.
Pte. Matthew Simpson
British Army No.4 Section, 87th Field Company Royal Engineers
from:Burnley
My grandfather, Matthew Simpson, is in the centre of the second row, behind the seated row. He was born in 1890, a bricklayer by trade. He worked and lived in Burnley, Lancashire. The second photograph is of Matthew, his wife Maggie and their daughter, my mother Mary Irene. I believe this photo was taken about 1916 in Sheffield where he had been hospitalised. He passed passed away in 1955.
Lt. N. Simpson
British Army 173rd Brigade, B Bty Royal Field Artillery
Cpl. Reginald Simpson
British Army Notts and Derby Regiment
from:Sneinton, Nottingham
Reginald Simpson served with the Sherwood Forresters and the Machine Gun Corps.
L/Cpl. Reginald Charles Simpson
British Army 4th Battalion, C Coy Rifle Brigade
from:Lillie Road, SW London
Granddad, Reginald Simpson, enlisted in 1916 (or was conscripted not too sure). He served in Salonika and was discharged on 25th of September 1919.
Engn. Robert Simpson
Royal Naval Reserve HMS Colleen
from:Hull
Engineman Simpson was the husband of Janet Simpson, of 19 Emma's Terrace, Marmaduke St., Hull.
He is buried close to the north boundary of the Killybegs (St. Johns) Church of Ireland Churchyard, Killybegs, Co. Donegal, Ireland.
Pte. Samuel Simpson
British Army 10th Battation became the 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
from:45 King St, Londonderry
(d.29th April 1918)
Pte. Stanley William Simpson
British Army Machine Gun Corps
from:Camberwell, London
My maternal grandfather, Stan Simpson died in 1951, before I was born, but I know he served in France and Flanders and Mesopotamia. He also visited India just after the war ended.
Pte. T. Simpson
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
T Simpson was transferred to 30th Battalion and was discharged in 1915
Pte. Thomas Simpson
British Army Army Service Corps
from:Preston, Lancashire
Thomas Simpson served during WW1 in the Army Service Corps, but so far we have been unable to find out any further details. He did not serve in WWII due to being gassed during WW1 but became an ARP Warden in Preston, Lancashire. After WWII he remained in the Civil Defence gaining the Long Service Medal for 12 years service.
Sgt. Thomas Simpson
British Army 6th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment
from:Lambeth London
(d.18th Jul 1917)
Thomas Simpson was one of 4 brothers, his eldest brother George was held Prisoner of War in Stendal Camp. His brother William was unfit for service but was a Munitions Officer responsible for feeding all the munition workers in the North West of England. His brother Frank was a Sergeant in the Royal Marines.
Thomas married Elizabeth Pittaway on the 6th December 1916 and just 7 months later he was killed in France and is buried in the Duisans Cemetery in Etrun, France. His widow never remarried.
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