VC bid launched for 1915 war hero John Simpson

[JPL]

This topic comes up every now and again. Here is a news article on the latest bid:

A campaign has been launched in the UK to award Gallipoli hero John Simpson the Victoria Cross, almost 100 years after his death. Simpson, whose full name is John Simpson Kirkpatrick, was born in South Shields, near Newcastle upon Tyne in England's north. He served in the Gallipoli Campaign as a stretcher bearer and along with a donkey he managed to rescue 300 wounded comrades in a 25 day period. Tragically he was shot dead aged just 22 on May 19, 1915, but his acts of bravery have afforded him a legendary status in Australia with his face appearing on coins and stamps. As a result an online petition to award Kirkpatrick a posthumous VC has been set up. Read the complete article: http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=799119

Jean-Paul

[Greg]

It's a nice idea but recently the official historians of Gallipoli decided that the whole Simpson and the donkey story is a myth, They reckon it never really happened. I'd prefer to believe he did exist and did what he is famous for doing but it's going to be an uphill battle getting him a VC !

[Mervyn Mitton]

I agree with Greg - after so many years it would be difficult to establish new evidence to allow the

award of a VC. Doing so could also raise the expectations of families, who really have only hearsay

to back their claims.

Incidentally, the first two postumous awards for the VC were to Lieutenants Coghill and Melville - they

saved the Colours at the Battle of Isandlawana in 1879. Mervyn