John Simpson Kirkpatrick

John Simpson Portrait (http://www.anzachouse.com/simpson.shtml)

John Simpson was born on the 6th of July 1892 in South Shields England. John’s parents Robert and Sarah Kirkpatrick were Scottish.

Each summer young John would work at ‘Murphy’s Fair’ providing donkey rides for a penny for the children. During the days he worked he looked after the donkeys from 7:30am to 9:00pm. When his day was over he rode the donkeys for a two-mile walk back home.

On February 12, 1910 John joined the crew of the ‘Yedda’ as a stoker and sailed to Newcastle, Australia. On the 24th of August 1914 John enlisted in the army in Perth as a 22 year old man. John started his service in field ambulances. Eight months later John was sent off to help in Gallipoli. John started his day at about 6:30am and finished at 3:00am. During his day John made the 1-½ mile trip through sniper fire and shrapnel, 12-15 times a day.

Throughout the 24 days he spent at Anzac Cove he operated as a sole unit and started rescue missions. These missions made him famous.

In the end John died at shrapnel gully, Gallipoli by a Turkish bullet at the age of 23 while trying to save two wounded soldiers on the field. That’s why we admire John Simpson as my hero.