Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The Launceston Examiner reported on 6 June 1945 that Major Noel Slmmonds of Hobart, had been appointed to a senlor position on the staff of United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) in Europe. He will leave Australia by air for Germany within a few days to take up duty as Assistant Director for displaced persons in Europe. He expects to be in Europe for at least two years.

Major Simmonds was educated in England and at The Hutchlns School, Hobart. He served for three years as an artilleryman in the A.I.F. during the First World War and on his return to Tasmania joined the technical staff of the Hydro-Electric Department and was later manager of the carbide works.

In 1922 he married Naomi Ellis Ferres Dean at Hobart - they were to have a son, born in 1924.

For a number of years prior to 1930 Major Simmonds was engaged in research work and sales organisation for H. Jones and Co. He was associated with the Boy Scouts' Association iand was also a member of Toc H.

In 1933 he joined the militia as a private. In 1936, as a Lieutenant, he was seconded to the intelligence section of the General Staff, 6th District Base, and in 1939 was called up for full time duty. He was engaged in preparation of war plans, since when he has served
continuously in various parts of Australia. He was in charge of military inttelligence in Tasmania until the
begining of 1942, when he was transferred to Army Headquarters and given responsibility for intelligence
training for the whole of the Australian Military Forces. Later in 1942, when the Commander of tile Allied Land
Forces in S.W Pacific Area established his advanced headquartere in Queensland, Major Simmnonds was
posted there as the staff officer responsible for security and censorship in the A.M.F. He transferred in 1943 to the Commonwealth Security Servlce.

After taking up his appointment he became responsible for one of the largest displaced persons' camps in Austria, at Wels near Linz, with 3500 refugees from 24 nationalities.

Interestingly, following the Great War, in 1918-19, one of Major Simmonds brothers, thé late Major Roy Simmonds OBE (1889-1939), also was stationed in occupied Germany as personal assistant to the general commanding the BEF. Another brother, Captain Hugh Henry Simmonds CMG (1886-1952) who served in the British Army in the Balkans and Egypt, became head of the Native Affairs Department of the Government of Southern Rhodesia. A third brother, Second Lieutenant Guy Bloxham Simmonds of the British Army's 5th Battalion Machine Gun Corps was killed in action at Ailly-sur-Somme, Picardie, France on 29 December 1916.

From 1950 Noel Simmonds and his wife resided in New Zealand. Major Simmonds died in Hobart, Tasmania in 1966 - his wife Naomi survived him and continued to live in New Zealand, passing away in 1993 at the aged of 95.

References:

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26062713

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91477908