SIMPSON, Frederick James

Frederick, the son of Mark and Isabella Simpson, was born near Gilgai in 1894. He was working as a Miner when at the age of twenty two he enlisted at Inverell in January 1916.  He joined other district men who formed the First Contingent of The Kurrajongs and left Inverell together for the Narrabri and Armidale camps.

He became a member of the 33rd Battalion, C Company which trained at Armidale and Rutherford prior to sailing from Australia on HMAT A74 Marathon on 4 May 1916.  After nine weeks at sea the Battalion arrived in England where further training was undertaken at Salisbury Plain before they were sent to France in November. 

Just two months later Frederick was invalided to hospital in England with a septic toe.  He was transferred to the 63rd Battalion at Windmill Hill Camp until his return to France and the 33rd Battalion in September 1917.  The following year Frederick was wounded in action and again invalided to England where he was admitted to Boscombe Military Hospital suffering the effects of gas poisoning and a gunshot wound to the abdomen.  He was returned to Australia by the hospital ship Karoola in June 1918 and received a medical discharge in September.  After his return from the War Frederick’s injury meant he was unable to carry out active employment.  Tragically he fell from a motor lorry at Inverell in 1932 and died as a result of head injuries.

Private Frederick Simpson’s name is recorded on the Gilgai and Inverell Honor Rolls.