Major General Noel William 'Red Fox' Simpson

Service number 386621, NX12221
Ranks Held Lieutenant Colonel, Temporary Brigadier, Brigadier, Major General
Birth Date 1907-02-22
Birth Place Australia: New South Wales, Sydney
Death Date 1971-11-18
Final Rank Major General
Service Australian Army
Units
  • 29th Australian Infantry Brigade
  • 2/17th Australian Infantry Battalion
Place Sydney
Conflicts/Operations
  • Period 1960-1969
  • Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Second World War, 1939-1945
Gazettes Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1947-03-06
Published in London Gazette in 1944-04-20
Published in London Gazette in 1943-02-11
Published in London Gazette in 1963-06-08
Published in London Gazette in 1956-01-02
Published in London Gazette in 1947-03-06
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1956-01-02
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1944-04-13
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1963-06-27

Rolls

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    2/17th Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    11 February 1943 on page 743 at position 10
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    Australian Military Forces
    Conflict
    Period 1950-1959
    Rank
    Brigadier
    London Gazette
    02 January 1956 on page 40 at position 2
    Commonwealth Gazette
    02 January 1956 on page 75 at position 4
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    Army
    Conflict
    Period 1960-1969
    Rank
    Major General
    London Gazette
    08 June 1963 on page 4827 at position 1
    Commonwealth Gazette
    27 June 1963 on page 2221 at position 1
  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    2/17th Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    20 April 1944 on page 1817 at position 5
    Commonwealth Gazette
    13 April 1944 on page 803 at position 2
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    29th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier
    London Gazette
    06 March 1947 on page 1091 at position 19
    Commonwealth Gazette
    06 March 1947 on page 750 at position 76

Timeline

Date of birth 22 February 1907
Date commissioned 29 March 1926
Interwar Service 1 29 March 1926 lieutenant 17 battalion
Interwar Service 2 01 September 1929 35/33 battalion
Interwar Service 3 18 August 1930 captain
Interwar Service 4 10 June 1932 Unattached List
Interwar Service 5 16 October 1934 34 battalion
Interwar Service 6 05 August 1937 45 battalion
Interwar Service 7 07 November 1939 major
Interwar Service 8 01 May 1940 2/13 battalion
Appointment 1942-03-07 - 1944-02-27 Battalion: 2/17th; Rank on appointment: lieutenant colonel; Appointed from: second in command 2/13th battalion ; Reason for end of appointment: new command -infantry battalion
Appointment 1944-02-28 - 1945-03-21 Battalion: 2/43rd; Rank on appointment: lieutenant colonel; Appointed from: commanding officer 2/17th battalion ; Reason for end of appointment: promotion field command: Comd 29th Brigade
Date of death 18 November 1971
Career summary 1 Date Enlisted 1940-05-06 2nd Australian Imperial Force, Major 2/13th Battalion
Career summary 10 Other 1944-05-18 ¿ 1944-05-29 Malaria.
Career summary 11 Other 1944-06-02 - 1944-06-26 Attached Headquarters 24th Brigade.
Career summary 12 Other 1944-07-17 - 1944-07-31 Attached Headquarters 24th Brigade.
Career summary 13 Other 1945-03-21 Temporary Brigadier Commander 29th Brigade.
Career summary 14 Date of Promotion 1945-03-21 Colonel.
Career summary 15 Other 1945-03-28 Arrived Bougainville.
Career summary 16 Other 1945-11-29 Command 23rd Brigade.
Career summary 17 Other 1946-04-18 Relinquished Command 23rd Brigade
Career summary 18 Date of honour or award 1947-05-06 Mentioned in Despatches
Career summary 19 Other 1953 ¿ 1959 Commander 6th Brigade
Career summary 2 Other 1940-05-06- 1940-06-13 Attached Headquarters 20th Brigade
Career summary 20 Date of Honour or award 1956 Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Career summary 21 Other 1959 - 1960-12 General Officer Commanding 3rd Division
Career summary 22 Other 1960-12 ¿ 1962 Citizen¿s Military Forces, Member Military Board
Career summary 23 Date of Honour or Award 1963 Commander of the Order of the Bath.
Career summary 3 Other 1941-01-07 Deputy Assistant Adjutant General Headquarters 7th Division
Career summary 4 Date of promotion1942-01-03 2/13th Battalion Company Commander
Career summary 5 Date of promotion 1942-03-07 ¿ 1944-02-28 Temporary Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Officer 2/17th Battalion
Career summary 6 Date of Honour or award 1943-01-17 Distinguished Service Order
Career summary 7 Other 1943-11-13 Attached Headquarters 24th Brigade
Career summary 8 Date of Promotion 1944-02-28 Commanding Officer 2/43rd Battalion
Career summary 9 Date of Honour or Award 1944-04-06 Bar to Distinguished Service Order.
Citations 1 Distinguished service Order:
Citations 2 ¿Lieutenant Colonel Simpson commanded 2/17th Australian Infantry Battalion in the operations near Alamein which took place on the night 23 October 1942 and succeeding days. Throughout this time his battalion was continually engaged with the enemy. It took a successful part in a major attack on the night 23rd October and in further offensive operations on the following night. Thereafter it held various parts of our front including for a period the important area of Point 29 and was continually in a forward position. During these operations the battalion was in close contact with the enemy and subjected to a succession of counter-attacks by tanks and Infantry and to constant and heavy artillery and small arms fire. Although required to hold a very wide frontage and with its strength much reduced by continuous casualties, the battalion yielded no ground, and every man played his part throughout the battle. That the unit was so resolute in most exacting and wearying circumstances was due in very large measure to Lieutenant Colonel Simpson's tenacity of purpose, imperturbable character and firm control of his command.'-Ext Sheet DN 10/43, LG Supp 35898/43
Citations 4 Bar to Distiguished Service Order:
Citations 5 During the campaign in New Guinea, in 1943, Lieutenant Colonel Simpson consistently showed great energy, very sound military judgement and personal bravery and endurance. He was in the field throughout the operations at Lae, Finschafen and in the advance up the Huon Peninsula. He marched with his battalion on many long and arduous moves in most difficult country during which the advanced elements of his force were in contact with the enemy. The rapid and successful accomplishment of these moves which were of great importance in our operations was largely due to his own determination. When his unit was holding a position near Jivevenang controlling a sector of the Sattleberg
Citations 6 Road it was counter attacked by the enemy, for the seventeen days in October it was heavily pressed by enemy parties which penetrated through the thick undergrowth very close to our positions. Battalion Head Quarters. itself was on several occasions under fire from enemy snipers who got within 100 yards of it and caused several casualties; the battalion's normal supply route was cut by the enemy and the whole battalion was in danger of being completely surrounded. Lieutenant Colonel Simpson by hi men yielded no ground and by aggressive patrolling harassed the enemy. We were thus enabled to hold the locality which was vital to our further operations against Sattleberg. For several weeks at a later stage of the campaign Lieutenant Colonel Simpson commanded a brigade during the temporary absence of the brigade commander. In that capacity he showed the same military skill and sound judgement.'
WW2 Service 1 WWII Benghazi
WW2 Service 2 New Guinea
WW2 Service 3 Bougainville
WW2 Service 4 El Alamein

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