SIMPSON, Robert
| Service Number: | 2667 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 March 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 4th Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Ferryhill, Durham, England, October 1875 |
| Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Elementary and Board Schools, Ferryhill, County Durham, England |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Heart failure at camp, No. 4 Camp, Fovant, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom, 16 May 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Fovant (St. George) Churchyard, Wiltshire - South West, England Fovant (St. George) Churchyard (Plot II, Row B, Grave No. 5), Wiltshire, England, Fovant (St George) Churchyard, Fovant, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2667, 11th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2667, 11th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2667, 11th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Fremantle | |
| 1 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| 16 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 4th Pioneer Battalion | |
| 2 Sep 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2667, 4th Pioneer Battalion, Battle for Pozières , GSW left leg | |
| 16 May 1917: | Involvement Private, 2667, 4th Pioneer Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2667 awm_unit: 4th Australian Pioneer Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-05-16 |
Parents headstone in Spennymoor cemetery
While researching Spennymoor soldiers who died in the 1st WW I came across the following linchen encrusted headstone in Spennymoor (Tudhoe) Cemetery.
The headstone was named to Alexander & Mary Jane Simpson and had an epitaph to their son Robert Simpson who, it states; 'died from wounds on 6 May 1917 while serving with the 9th Australian Pioneers at Fovant Camp, Salisbury Plain'.
On checking the CWGC it had recorded that Pte 2667 Robert Simpson serving with 4th Australian Pioneers died of wounds on 16 May 1917 aged 41 years and was the son of Alexander & Mary Jane Simpson of Mount Huley, Ferryhill, Co Durham.
Although he had been wounded in action and admitted to Frensham Hill Military Hospital, London on 7 September 1916, he had in fact recovered from his wounds and been discharged from hospital. His army record then shows that he in fact collapsed and died from heart failure on 16 May 1917 while at No 4 Camp, Fovant, Wiltshire and was buried in Fovant Churchyard.
His father Alexander, was a farmer at Mount Huley Farm, Butcher Race, near Ferryhill and died on 10 January 1921 aged 80 years. His mother Mary Jane, died at Tudhoe Hall Farm on 22 May 1907 aged 70 years. Robert and his sister, Alice Mary were born at Mount Huley Farm.
Why his father had recorded that his son had died from wounds is not known, perhaps the authorities had not informed them of this or he wanted others to know his son died from wounds rather than a heart attack.
Submitted 4 June 2020 by John Grainger
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK
Died on this date - 16th May.......Private Robert Simpson was born at Ferryhill, Durham, England in 1875. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 25th March, 1915 stating he was a 33 year old, single, Farm Hand from Perth, Western Australia.
Private Robert Simpson was written up at Blackboy Hill Camp, Western Australia on 5th June, 1915 – “Absent from Tattoo whilst under orders to embark for active service till reporting himself in Camp at about 5 pm on 8th June, 1915 – 3 days.” He was given 10 days No. 2 Field Punishment & forfeited 10 days’ pay. Private Simpson was AWL again from 17th August, 1915 until 26th August, 1915. He was given 168 hours detention & forfeited 10 days’ pay.
Private Robert Simpson embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia on HMAT Anchises (A68) on 2nd September, 1915. He was en route to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) from Zeitoun on 21st October, 1915.
Private Robert Simpson was transferred & taken on strength of 4th Pioneer Battalion on 16th March, 1916 at Tel-el-Kebir. He arrived in France on 11th June, 1916.
Private Simpson was wounded in action in France on 2nd September, 1916. He was invalided to England & admitted to Military Hospital at Frensham Hill, England on 7th September, 1916 with GSW to left leg. He recovered & was sent on furlo then posted to Pioneer Training Battalion at Larkhill, Wiltshire on 25th January, 1917.
Private Robert Simpson died on 16th May, 1917 at No. 4 Camp, Fovant, Wiltshire, England from Heart failure, aged 40. He was buried in St George’s Churchyard, Fovant, Wiltshire, England where 43 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are buried.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/h---w.html
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