RNZAF Biographies of Deceased Personnel: 1939 - 1945, Qu - Sl

A.A. SIMPSON. 2. (centre aligned) aerodrome of Oakley. During April, 1944, he was posted to No. 1651 Conversion Unit, Wratting Common, Cambridgeshire, where he took part in air exercises as air bomber on Stirling aircraft. Late in May he proceeded to No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School, Feltwell, Norfolk, and on the 15th June, 1944, commenced flying in Lancaster aircraft with No. 75 (NZ) Squadron, Mepal, Cambridgeshire. With this squadron he carried out a number of operational flights. The targets on these sorties included Valenciennes, Rimeux, Paris, and Montdidier, in France.

On the night of the 20/21st July, 1944, F/Sgt. Simpson was air bomber of a Lancaster aircraft which took off to bomb Homberg in Germany. The aircraft failed to return to its base and all the members of the crew including F/Sgt. Simpson were reported missing. This was his 11th operational flight. Later information was recieved from the International Red Cross Committee stated that one RAF member of the crew was a prisoner of war, and the other members of the crew had lost their lives. F/Sgt. Simpson was buried in the Military Cemetery, Udon, Holland. There were two other New Zealanders in the crew, W/O H. Whittington of Hamilton, and F/Sgt. A.C. Fletcher of Auckland.

Find a Grave link with a photo of F/Sgt. Simpson: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18429822/alfred-alexander-simpson Auckland Museum link with more info on F/Sgt. Simpson: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C26982?n=alfred+alexander+simpson&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/2/10919 AS2 317 hrs. as Air Bomber.

Mr. F.J. Simpson (F) (right aligned) Box 20, Patutahi, (right aligned) GISBORNE (right aligned & underlined)

RS/NF (right aligned) 40949 : Sergeant Arthur William SIMPSON. WIFE : Mrs. D.L.A. Simpson of Wellington. PARENTS : Mr. & Mrs. G.S. Simpson of Wanganui.

Arthur Simpson was born at Southbridge, Canterbury on the 18th November, 1908. He was educated at the Victoria Avenue School, Wanganui and the Wanganui Collegiate School. His main sporting interests were football, tennis, athletics and harriers. He played football for his school, and later played senior grade rugby, on two occasions representing Wanganui. He also represented that centre in middle distance running and walking, and also as a harrier. He studied with the Vietch School of Accounting, Wanganui and at Victoria University College, and at the time of his enlsitment had passed nine of the ten subjects of his Bachelor of Commerce Degree. He was employed as an accountant by the Tip-Top Ice Cream Coy., (Wgton.) Ltd. He served in the Territorials with the Signal Corps for three years, reaching the rank of Sergeant.

Sgt. Simpson applied for training as an observer in October, 1939 and was accepted, but his enlistment was deferred until the 9th April, 1940 when he reported to the Ground Training School, Levin. On completion of the course, he was posted to No. 1 Air Observers' School, Ohakea, where he underwent training in gunnery, navigation and bombing. He was awarded his air observers' badge at that station on 22nd August, 1940 and promoted to Sergeant two days later. He sailed for the United Kingdom on the S.S. "Tamaroa" on the 14th September, 1940.

Sgt. Simpson was posted to No. 17 Operational Training Unit, shortly after his arrival in England and was engaged on operational training in Avro Anson and Bristol Blenheim aircraft for the next three months. Sgt. Simpson was posted to No. 139 Squadron on 24th February, 1941.

In April 1941 he took part in operations against enemy targets at Calais, France, and sea sweeps off the French and German Coasts.

During the following two months he took part in a number of raids and sweeps, and on one occasion his crew were partly responsible for the sinking of one of two enemy ships destroyed near the port of Lorient, France. Another time he was engaged on a low-level bombing attack on a power house and submarine base at Denhelder in the West Frisian Islands, off the coast of Holland. By the end of May, 1941 he had completed 18 operational flights.

Sgt. Simpson was observer of a Blenheim aircraft which took off on operations on the 4th June, 1941 and failed to return to its base at Horsham St. Faith, Norfolk. All the members of the crew, including Sgt. Simpson were reported missing, and subsequently presumed to have lost their lives on that date. Information later received from the International Red Cross Committe stated that the body of Sgt. Simpson had been recovered from the sea on the 17th September, 1941, and buried on the island of Mellum, in the mouth of the river Weser, North Germany.

Find a Grave link with a photo of Sgt. Simpson: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15263255/arthur-william-simpson Auckland Museum link with more info on Sgt. Simpson: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C26976?n=arthur+william+simpson&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/2/2683 201 hrs. as Air Observer.

Mrs. D.L. Simpson (W) (right aligned) 12 Espin Crescent, (was 136 Kelburn Parade) (right aligned) Karori, WELLINGTON (right aligned & city underlined)

41481 Flying Officer Geoffrey Mervyn Simpson. Parents Mr. & Mrs. H.M. Simpson of Dunedin.

Geoffrey Simpson was born at Christchurch on the 22nd June, 1919, and received his secondary education at Christs' College, Christchurch. At school he was interested in football, cricket, tennis, swimming and athletics, and later played football for the Collegians' Club and tennis for the Upper Riccarton Tennis Club. He served for a time as a territorial in the First Battalion, Canterbury Regiment. In 1937 he applied for a short service commission in the Royal Air Force, and was successful in being selected. He embarked for the United Kingdom by the R.M.S. Rangitata on the 25th August, 1938.

Flying Officer Simpson was posted to No. 9 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School at Walsgrove, Coventy, early in October 1938, and completed his elementary flying training early in December. He was posted to No. 6 Service Flying Training School, Little Rissington, Gloucestershire, late in December where he was awarded his flying badge on the 6th May, 1939, and completed his service flying training early in August, before posting during August to No. 8 Advanced Training School at Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland for the completion of his training on Wallace and Henley aircraft. Early in October, 1939 he proceeded to No. 229 Squadron, at Digby, Lincolnshire, where he converted to Blenheim aircraft and as pilot of this type of machine took part in seven operational flights on anti-submarine and shipping patrols over the North Sea. During March, 1940 he converted to Hurricance Aircraft and first from Digby and later from Royal Air Force Stations, Manston, Hawkinge, Kenley, Biggin Hill, Wittering, Bircham Newton and Northolt, took part in over ninety operational flights, including sweeps over the North Sea, France and Belgium, and patrols over south-eastern England. On May 10th, 1940 he destroyed a Messerschmitt 110 and on May 21st two Heinkel 111s.

Flying Officer Simpson was the pilot of a Hurricane Aircraft which took off on a patrol over the French Coast on October 20th 1940, and failed to return to its base. This was his ninety-nineth operational flight. Flying Officer Simpson was posted as missing.

(underlined) Geoffrey Mervyn SIMPSON. -2- (centre aligned) On the 26th October, 1940, Flying Officer Simspon was the pilot of a Hurricane aircraft which took off on a patrol operation over the French Coast and failed to return to its base, Flying Officer Simpson being classified as missing. The aircraft was last seen five miles north of Boulogne, and as no further news was received from any source. Flying Officer Simpson's death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 26th October 1940.

Find a Grave link with a photo of F/O Simpson: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15263263/geoffrey-mervyn-simpson Auckland Museum link with more info on F/O Simpson: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C27806?n=geoffrey+mervyn+simpson&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/2/1204 AS2. 492 hours as Pilot.

Mrs. H.C. Simpson (M) (right aligned) 3 Alliston Avenue, (right aligned) Strowan (right aligned) CHRISTCHURCH. (right aligned & underlined)