Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookCoronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =SIMMONS, ALBERT=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 10519), 193736, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =SIMMS, ALFRED=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 11783, H.M.S. Hawke, _s._ of Alfred Simms, of 28, Albert Street, Bedford; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914. =SIMMS, GEORGE=, Private, No. 1066, D Coy., 1st Newfoundland Regt., 2nd _s._ of William Simms, of Pilley's Island, Newfoundland, Fisherman, by his wife, Norah, dau. of Jacob Parsons; _b._ Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland, 17 Oct. 1887; educ. there; was a Lumberman; volunteered after the outbreak of war and joined the Newfoundland Expeditionary Force, 11 Feb. 1915; left St. John for Britain, 20 March, 1915; trained at Stob's Camp, Scotland; left for the Dardanelles, 10 Aug., and was killed in action at Suvla Bay, 30 Dec. 1915, by shrapnel; _unm._ His company officer (Capt. March) wrote: "During storm and rain and amid shot and shell he always managed to attend to the needs of the fatigued men and officers. A cup of hot tea and something to eat he always had ready"; adding: "He did splendid work; he kept us alive during those terrible days at Suvla." [Illustration: =George Simms.=] =SIMMS, GEORGE NORMAN, M.V.O.=, Capt., 2nd Battn. Royal Munster Fusiliers, yst. _s._ of the late George Simms, of 7, Porchester Gate, and Sumner Grange, Sunningdale, by his wife, Alice Maud (Gilderdale House, Gerrards Cross), dau. of Thomas Pearson, of Scarborough, Yorks; _b._ 7, Porchester Gate, London, W., 21 Oct. 1875; educ. Eastbourne College; gazetted 2nd Lieut., Royal Munster Fusiliers, from the Militia, 1 Dec. 1897; promoted Lieut. 11 March, 1899, and Capt. 6 June, 1906; served in the South African War, 1902; took part in the operations in Orange River Colony, Jan. to May, 1902 (Queen's medal with two clasps), and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, and was killed in action at Etreux or Oisy, 27 Aug. 1914; _unm._ Capt. H. S. Jervis, Royal Munster Fusiliers, wrote: "It falls to my lot, as the Senior Officer surviving the action of 27 Aug., to write and amplify the terrible news which I presume you have already received from the War Office, of the death of your son. To say that we all feel the acutest sorrow at your loss, which is also ours, is to but inadequately express our feelings. He leaves a gap which it will take many years to fill. On 27 Aug. his company was on outpost duty with mine, in front of the Battn. which was to cover the withdrawal of our Brigade. The latter got away safely, but to achieve this the Battn. had to sacrifice itself. The enemy was coming from the north and began working round to eastward of us. Your son's company was sent to the post of danger to prevent this. It was a most difficult undertaking, inviting his complete isolation from the rest of us, but he carried it through, fought a smart little action, and returned with the loss of but three men. We then continued the withdrawal, and it was discovered that the enemy had surrounded and cut us off. Again George Simms was sent to the post of danger, this time in front. He went off at the head of his men, and having revealed the enemy in an entrenched position straight across the line of retreat, he proceeded to attack at once. A murderous fire was opened on him and his men, and a destructive cross-fire was brought to bear on them from a loopholed house. While gallantly exposing himself as an example to his men, he was shot in the body and fell dead. The whole five officers of his company were killed--a magnificent example to the remainder of the Battn. The next day the Germans sent out a party of our men whom they had taken prisoners, to bury our dead, and your son was placed in a grave with eight of his brother officers who fell in the same action. His personal effects were buried with him, nothing being touched. His kit was on our transport wagons, which may have escaped. When I came to this Battn. four months ago, I was attd. to your son's company so that I might see how the new system was run, and it really was a lesson on the art of managing men. The Brigadier, after inspecting his company, said: 'I should like to serve under Capt. Simms myself.' No higher praise is needed. The whole Battn. was devoted to him, and his company was far the best of the Battn. In the Mess we shall miss him more than anywhere, his invincible good temper, tact and sense of humour made him an ideal senior member of the Mess." In the War Office Record he is spoken of as a sound Company Commander. He was awarded the 5th Class of the Royal Victorian Order on the occasion of the presentation of new Colours to the Battn. by His Majesty King Edward VII at Cork, 1 Aug. 1903. [Illustration: =George Norman Simms.=] =SIMPKINS, FREDERICK THOMAS=, Signal Boy, J. 21561, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =SIMPSON, ABRAM=, Private, No. K.P. 458, 8th Section, D Coy., Drake Battn. Royal Naval Division, _s._ of Abram Simpson, of 9, Maltkiln Lane, Castleford; _b._ Castleford, co. York, 6 June, 1895; educ. Lock Lane School there; enlisted after the outbreak of the war, 11 Sept. 1914, and was attd. to the Drake Battn. of the R.N.D.; served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at the Dardanelles; was wounded in the hip during a bayonet charge on 14 May, 1915, but returned to the trenches after a few days in hospital, and died, 20 June following, of wounds received in action; _unm._ [Illustration: =Abram Simpson.=] =SIMPSON, ALBERT VICTOR=, A.B., No. 235888, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =SIMPSON, ALEXANDER MATHIESON=, Private, No. 14455, A Coy., No. 4 Platoon, 1st Battn. Cameron Highlanders, only child of the late Alexander Lee Simpson, of Glasgow, Slater, by his wife, Maggie, widow of (--) Logan, dau. of John Mathieson, Coal Miner, grandson of William Simpson, of Glasgow, Schoolmaster (by his wife, Sarah, dau. of Robert Lee, of (--), Ireland), and great-grandson of Alexander Simpson, of Girvan, co. Ayr, who emigrated to Rockhampton, Australia, about 1850; _b._ Glasgow, Jan. 1890; brought up by his aunt, Miss Sarah Simpson, of 68, John Street, Dunoon, Argyle, and educ. Glasgow and Dunoon Grammar Schools; was a Painter; enlisted about Oct. 1914; went to France, and was killed in action at the Battle of Loos, 25 Sept. 1915. He _m._ at Dunoon, 1914. Annie (Orwell Cottage, Edward Street, Dunoon), dau. of (--) Smith. [Illustration: =Alexander M. Simpson.=] =SIMPSON, ANTHONY HENRY=, Lieut., 1st Battn. Royal Warwickshire Regt., yr. _s._ of James Herbert Simpson, of Rugby, M.L., by his wife, Charlotte Maria, dau. of Henry Wilson; _b._ Rugby, 28 Dec. 1887; educ. Hillbrow School, Rugby (1896-1901); Rugby School (1901-6), and Corpus Christi College, Oxford (1906-11, Scholar), and was afterwards an assistant master at Tonbridge School, where he was an officer in the O.T.C.; gazetted Lieut. |