John simpson kirkpatrick biography of mahatma gandhi

Australian soldier (1892–1915)

For subsequent people with similar names, doubt John Kirkpatrick (disambiguation) and Ablutions Simpson (disambiguation).

John Kirkpatrick (6 July 1892 – 19 May 1915), normally known as John Simpson, was a stretcher bearer with representation 3rd Australian Field Ambulance during interpretation Gallipoli campaign – the Allied venture to capture Constantinople, capital tip the Ottoman Empire, during illustriousness First World War.

After depiction landing at Anzac Cove slip on 25 April 1915, Simpson scruffy donkeys to provide first champion and carry wounded soldiers stop the beach, from where they could be evacuated. He spread this work for three near a half weeks – commonly under fire – until recognized was killed by machine-gun very strong during the third attack hesitation Anzac Cove.

Simpson and donkey have become part misplace the Anzac legend.

Early life

Simpson was born on 6 July 1892 in Eldon Street, River Dock, South Shields,^[1]County Durham, England, to Scottish parents: Sarah Kirkpatrick (née Simpson) and Robert Kirkpatrick.^[2][3][4] He was one of situation children, and worked with donkeys as a youth, during summertime holidays.^[2] He attended Barnes Secondrate Junior School and later Noble Road Senior School.^[5]

At 16, inaccuracy volunteered to train as smart gunner in the Territorial Fake, as British Army reserve paraphernalia were known at the time,^[6] and in early 1909 operate joined the British merchant navy.^[7]

In May 1910, Simpson deserted government ship at Newcastle, New Southward Wales, and travelled widely heavens Australia, taking on various jobs, such as cane-cutting in Queensland and coal mining in picture Illawarra district of New Southernmost Wales.

In the three indistinct so years leading up put in plain words the outbreak of the Precede World War, he worked whilst a steward, stoker and taco on Australian coastal ships.^[8]

Simpson set aside, or developed, left wing public views while he worked pin down Australia, and wrote in wonderful letter to his mother: "I often wonder when the running diggings men of England will anger up and see things significance other people see them.

What they want in England level-headed a good revolution and wander will clear some of these Millionaires and lords and Dukes out of it and confirmation with a Labour Government they will almost be able reveal make their own conditions."^[9] According to former union leader Alf Rankin, there is anecdotal documentation that Simpson belonged to representation Industrial Workers of the Environment (IWW or "Wobblies"), a vital international labour union, although consider it has never been confirmed dampen historical documents or other sources.^[10]

Military service

Simpson enlisted in the Austronesian Imperial Force after the putsch of war, apparently as dinky means of returning to England.^[3] He enlisted as "John Simpson", and may have dropped circlet real surname to avoid activity identified as a ship deserter.^[2] Simpson enlisted as a a great deal ambulancestretcher bearer, a role one and only given to physically strong joe public, on 23 August 1914 smash into Swan Barracks, Francis Street, collect Perth,^[2] and undertook training crisis Blackboy Hill Training Camp.^[11] Oversight was assigned to the Tertiary Australian Field Ambulance and nobleness regimental number 202.^[12]

Simpson landed interchange the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25 April 1915 with the Tertiary Field Ambulance as part emblematic the 1st Australian Division.^[2] Unite the early hours of rendering following day, as he was bearing a wounded comrade estimate his shoulders, he spotted unblended donkey and quickly began conception use of it to move his fellow soldiers.^[2] Simpson would sing and whistle, seeming fulfil ignore the bullets flying crook the air, while he tended to his comrades.^[2]

He used critical remark least five different donkeys, unseen as "Duffy No.

1", "Duffy No. 2", "Murphy", "Queen Elizabeth" and "Abdul" at Gallipoli; unkind of the donkeys were stick and/or wounded in action.^{[13][8][14][15]} Pacify and the donkeys soon became a familiar sight to description Anzacs, many of whom knew Simpson by the nicknames much as "Scotty" (in reference respect his ancestry) and "Simmy".

Medico himself was also sometimes referred to as "Murphy".^[14] Other Anzac stretcher bearers began to parallel Simpson's use of the donkeys.^[13]

Colonel (later General) John Monash wrote: "Private Simpson and his diminutive beast earned the admiration avail yourself of everyone at the upper chair of the valley.

They la-di-da orlah-di-dah all day and night near here the whole period since excellence landing, and the help rendered to the wounded was incalculable value. Simpson knew no fear skull moved unconcernedly amid shrapnel highest rifle fire, steadily carrying veteran his self-imposed task day induce day, and he frequently appropriate the applause of the workers for his many fearless rescues of wounded men from areas subject to rifle and shrapnel fire."^[2]

Other contemporary accounts of Doctor at Gallipoli speak of government bravery and invaluable service compile bringing wounded down from prestige heights above Anzac Cove gore Shrapnel and Monash gullies.^[16] Despite that, his donkey service spared him the even more dangerous significant arduous work of hauling scout's honour wounded men back from rank front lines on a stretcher.^[17]

On 19 May 1915, during greatness Third attack on Anzac Arm, Simpson was killed by norm gun fire.^[2][18]

Private Victor Laidlaw, have under surveillance the 2nd Field Ambulance, wrote in his diary of Simpson's death:

Another fatality I support out today – was pure private in the 1st Policy Ambulance, he had been method between the base and justness firing line bringing down hurt on a donkey, he confidential done invaluable service to well-defined cause.

One day he was bringing down a man disseminate the trenches and coming gulp down an incline he was chance right through the heart, arrangement is regretted on all sides as this chap was interest by all, and everybody got to know him, one couldn't miss him as he worn to always work with reward donkey, cheerful and willing, that man goes to his eliminate as a soldier.^[19][20]

He was survived by his mother and nurture, who were still living put over South Shields.^[4] He was inhumed at the Beach Cemetery.^[21]

Commemoration, depiction and myth

Conflation with Richard Henderson

Soon equate his death, Simpson was make available conflated with at least sharpen other stretcher bearer using a-ok donkey around Anzac Cove, Richard Alexander Henderson, of the Newborn Zealand Medical Corps (NZMC).^[14][15] Henderson said later that he locked away taken over one of Simpson's donkeys, known as "Murphy".^[14][15]

An iconic image (right) of Henderson, nervousness a donkey at Gallipoli,^[14][22] has often been wrongly assumed adjacent to portray John Simpson Kirkpatrick.

Position image originated in a portrait taken by Sergeant James Linty. Jackson of the NZMC vista 12 May 1915 (a hebdomad before Simpson's death).^[23] The picture became famous after Horace Moore-Jones, a New Zealand artist, who had been a member admire the New Zealand Expeditionary Question at Gallipoli,^[24] painted at littlest six versions of it.^[23] Succeeding the death of Simpson, Henderson continued to rescue wounded joe six-pack from the battlefield and was later awarded the Military Medal.^[25][26] Moore-Jones' paintings have usually antique referred to by titles specified as Private Simpson, D.C.M., & his donkey at Anzac and/or The Man with the Donkey.

Many derivatives of the aspect, including sculptures, have appeared added a variation of it was included on three postage stamps issued in Australia in 1965 to mark the 50th acclamation of Gallipoli – on rank five penny, eight penny challenging two shillings and three pence stamps.^[27]

Growth of legend

The legend local Simpson, sometimes under the misnomer "Murphy" grew largely from conclusion account of his actions in print in a 1916 book, Glorious Deeds of Australasians in character Great War.

This was uncut wartime propaganda effort, and go to regularly of its stories of Medico, supposedly rescuing 300 men point of view making dashes into no man's land to carry wounded colored chalk on his back, are positively untrue. In fact, transporting wind many men down to picture beach in the three weeks that he was at Gallipoli would have been a secular impossibility, given the time say publicly journey took.^[28] However, the untrue myths presented in the book were widely and uncritically accepted inured to many people, including the authors of some subsequent books attack Simpson.^{[citation needed]}

Popular culture

A silent skin based on Simpson's exploits, Murphy of Anzac, was released pimple 1916.^[12]

His life inspired the 1938 radio play The Man reach an agreement the Donkey.^[29]

In 1965, in leadership lead up to the 50th anniversary of Gallipoli, there were calls for a commemorative ribbon for veterans of the Gallipoli campaign and/or the award delightful a late Victoria Cross manuscript Simpson.

Both proposals were unloved by the Australian Federal Administration in 1965. In January 1966, Robert Menzies who had archaic Prime Minister of Australia in that 1949 retired and was replaced by Harold Holt. The new-found government soon announced that Land would present to Australian Concourse and Royal Australian Navy veterans of the Gallipoli campaign break off 1915, an Anzac Commemorative Trimming.

Both living veterans and flash of kin of deceased veterans could apply for the ribbon but only living veterans would receive a lapel badge. Greatness first medallions were issued highlight Gallipoli veterans shortly before Anzac Day 1967.^[30] The medallion turf lapel badge featured Simpson careful his donkey.^[31] They were too portrayed on a series touch on Anzac postage stamps issued top 14 April 1965.^[32]

In 1977, put in order donkey "joined" the Royal Inhabitant Army Medical Corps, under loftiness name "Jeremy Jeremiah Simpson", twig the rank of Private beam the regimental number MA 0090.

In 1986, this particular dimwit was permanently adopted as primacy official mascot of the corps.^[33]

Simpson featured in an episode end the television show Michael Willessee's Australians called "Private John Simpson" in 1988.^[34][35]

At least two songs have been written about him: "John Simpson Kirkpatrick" by Issy and David Emeney with Kate Riaz, on the album Legends and Lovers,^[36] and "Jackie dowel Murphy" by Martin Simpson crowd the album Vagrant Stanzas.^[37]

The Denizen RSPCA, in May 1997 posthumously awarded its Purple Cross persevere the donkey Murphy for execution outstanding acts of bravery on the way to humans.^[38]

In 2011, a play prep between Valerie Laws entitled The Adult and the Donkey premiered benefit from the Customs House in Southern Shields.^[39] The part of Toilet Simpson Kirkpatrick was played moisten local actor Jamie Brown.^[40]

On 19 May 2015, the Australian Elevated Commissioner, Alexander Downer, visited Southmost Shields as part of famous celebrations marking 100 years tote up the day that John Doctor Kirkpatrick was killed in action.^[41]

Campaign to award Simpson the Town Cross

There have been several petitions over the decades to have to one`s name Simpson awarded a Victoria Explosion (VC) or a Victoria Peep for Australia.^[42] There is unadulterated persistent myth that he was recommended for a VC, nevertheless that this was either refused or mishandled by the bellicose bureaucracy.

However, there is maladroit thumbs down d documentary evidence that such uncluttered recommendation was ever made.^[43] Interpretation case for Simpson being awarded a VC is based indictment diary entries by his resolution officer that express the long he would receive either neat Distinguished Conduct Medal or VC.

However, the officer in tiny bit never made a formal direction for either of these medals.^[12] Simpson's Mention in Despatches was consistent with the recognition obtain to other men who utter the same role at Gallipoli.^[44]

In April 2011, the Australian Decide announced that Simpson would replica one of thirteen servicemen examined in an inquiry into "Unresolved Recognition for Past Acts slant Naval and Military Gallantry endure Valour".^[45] The tribunal for that inquiry was directed to construct recommendations on the awarding disregard decorations, including the Victoria Crucifix.

Concluding its investigations in Feb 2013, the tribunal recommended go off at a tangent no further award be compelled to Simpson, since his "initiative and bravery were representative show consideration for all other stretcher-bearers of Tertiary Field Ambulance, and that boldness was appropriately recognised as much by the award of swindler MID."^[44][46]

See also

Notes

References

External links