Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The sustained Japanese air-raid on Darwin on the 19th of February 1942 resulted in the following RAAF personnel from Station Headquarters Darwin being KIA -

Leading Aircraftman Leonard Arthur Barton 18368 - Son of Arthur John and Sophia May Barton; husband of Majorie Barton of Rainbow, Victoria

Leading Aircraftman Phillips Stonham Latham 32932 - Son of Leslie Frederic and Gladys Caroline Latham of Baan Baa, NSW

Aircraftman 1st Class Francis Neaylon 20361 - Son of Joseph Patrick and Olive Myra Neaylon of Woollahra, NSW

Leading Aircraftman Albert Victor Leske Schulz 28222 - Son of Nathanael Reginald Robert and Anna Louise Schulz of South Hummocks, SA

Corporal Robert Frederick Simons 26040 - Son of Frederick Quartermain Simons and Mabel Bessie Simons of Allenby Gardens, SA

Aircraftman 1st Class Stanley George Smith 45738 - Son of Septimus and Eleanor Smith of South Perth, WA

Wing Commander Archibald Robert Tindal 76 of Headquarters North Western Area - Son of Archibald Arthur and Hilda Dorothy Tindal of Armidale, NSW

WGCDR Tindal was hit by cannon fire while manning an AA machine-gun.  Possibly the first casualty on Australian soil from enemy air attack.

The son of Frederick Quartermaine Simons and Mabel Bessie Simons, Robert Frederick Simons was born on 24 September 1921, in his hometown of Hindmarsh, in the City of Charles Sturt, South Australia. Robert was one of four children, and the brother of Rhonda, Elizabeth and Reginald Leslie Simons.

At nineteen years of age, Simons enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 18 March 1940. He was based at Darwin’s RAAF SHQ (Station Headquarters), and was assigned the service number, 26040. Robert was appointed the position of guard. Prior to the Second World War, Darwin’s No. 12 Squadron, which was equipped with Avro Anson and Wirraway aircrafts, and flew convoy escorts and flew routine patrols, had no guards. With the donation of .50 calibre machine guns provided by the Americans, the defence of RAAF Station Darwin was exclusively implemented by RAAF Guards, not the Australian Army; and so on 10 February 1942, over one-hundred guards arrived at RAAF Station Darwin – inclusive of Simons.

In his defence of RAFF Station Darwin, Corporal Simons became the RAAF’s first Guard fatality in combat, when he died in a weapon pit near the Motor Transport Section. He died on 19 February 1942, just short of his 21st birthday, the same day of the Bombing of Darwin. Eight days later a second guard’s life was taken when an anti-personnel bomb was dropped from a Japanese aircraft.

Robert Frederick Simons’ bravery and determination was impeccably mature for his young age; he fought with great enthusiasm for his beloved country. He exemplified the traits of hard work and sacrifice. May the spirit of Robert Frederick Simons enlighten the world forevermore.

                                                          Lest We Forget

References:

Barlow, D. (2023) Robert Frederick Simons, Virtual War Memorial | Robert Frederick SIMONS. Virtual War Memorial LTD. Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/533149 (Accessed: April 1, 2023).

Carwardine, S.S. (202AD) Defending the Nest: A History and Analysis of Airfield Defence Policy in the Royal Australian Air Force. thesis. UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND. Available at: https://rune.une.edu.au/web/bitstream/1959.11/29874/8/openpublished/CarwardineSeanPhD2020Thesis.pdf (Accessed: April 2, 2023).

MyHeritage, C. (2017) Corp.. Robert Frederick Simons, geni_family_tree. Geni.com. Available at: https://www.geni.com/people/Corp-Robert-Simons/6000000062634998901 (Accessed: April 1, 2023).

NAA, G.O.V. (2023) Robert Fredericks Simons. NAA.GOV.AU. Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=1059699&S=1&N=22&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=1059699&T=P&S=1 (Accessed: April 2, 2023).

From the SA Premier's ANZAC Spirit School Prize Blog. Completed by a student who travelled to Darwin as a winner of the 2022 Premier's ANZAC Spirit School Prize