The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2754) Private Norman Robert Simpson, 60th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (2754) Private Norman Robert Simpson, 60th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2754 Private Norman Robert Simpson, 60th Battalion, AIF
KIA 12 May 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 10 January 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Norman Robert Simpson.

Norman Simpson was born in 1887 to John and Mary Simpson of Tarnagulla, Victoria. He grew up in Newbridge, where he attended the local state school, and later went to the Maryborough State School. He went on to become a storekeeper and clerk in Newbridge, and also had training as a motor mechanic. In 1915 he married Muriel Davidson, and shortly afterwards they moved to Beerwah, Queensland, where Simpson and his friend Mr Herring began growing pineapples.

Norman’s older brother Glen had served in the Boer War, and in August 1916 Simpson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force for service in the First World War. It is possible that he had been turned down once in Queensland after failing the medical test – he travelled to Bendigo before his enlistment was successful.

After a period of training in Australia, Simpson was sent for service overseas. He arrived in England in November 1916 and underwent further training before finally joining the 60th Battalion in the trenches of the Western Front. Shortly after he arrived the Germans withdrew from their positions on the Somme to the Hindenburg Line, a purpose-built defensive work that both shortened and strengthened their line. The 60th Battalion was involved in following up the retreat, but avoided the fighting around Bullecourt and the heavy casualties suffered by other Australian battalions there.

On 12 May 1917 two companies of the 60th Battalion moved in to the front line near Bullecourt to defend ground gained during the recent offensive. Private Simpson was on the Lewis gun, placed out in no man’s land. In the early hours of the morning the Germans began a heavy artillery barrage on the Australian line, and during this Private Simpson was killed. Some reports say his body was never found, others that he was buried where he fell. Today his final resting place is unknown, and he is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at Villers-Bretonneux. He was 30 years old.

When news of his death arrived in Tarnagulla the flag on the Town Hall was flown at half-mast. Muriel Simpson never remarried. She died in 1955.

Norman Simpson’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died during the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Norman Robert Simpson, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section