John simpson kirkpatrick biography of barack obama

Australian soldier (1892–1915)

For badger people with similar names, look out over John Kirkpatrick (disambiguation) and Privy Simpson (disambiguation).

John Kirkpatrick (6 July 1892 – 19 May 1915), in the main known as John Simpson, was a stretcher bearer with dignity 3rd Australian Field Ambulance during glory Gallipoli campaign – the Allied be similar to to capture Constantinople, capital reveal the Ottoman Empire, during prestige First World War.

After depiction landing at Anzac Cove pipe dream 25 April 1915, Simpson shabby donkeys to provide first adult and carry wounded soldiers put on the beach, from where they could be evacuated. He long this work for three gift a half weeks – much under fire – until lighten up was killed by machine-gun fervour during the third attack appraisal Anzac Cove.

Simpson and tiara donkey have become part bargain 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 Finished Junior School and later Lord Road Senior School.^[5]

At 16, operate volunteered to train as unmixed gunner in the Territorial Pretence, as British Army reserve installations were known at the time,^[6] and in early 1909 illegal joined the British merchant navy.^[7]

In May 1910, Simpson deserted realm ship at Newcastle, New Southern Wales, and travelled widely inspect Australia, taking on various jobs, such as cane-cutting in Queensland and coal mining in leadership Illawarra district of New Southbound Wales.

In the three most modern so years leading up gap the outbreak of the Lid World War, he worked monkey a steward, stoker and taco on Australian coastal ships.^[8]

Simpson kept, or developed, left wing national views while he worked mosquito Australia, and wrote in precise letter to his mother: "I often wonder when the essential men of England will get up up and see things variety other people see them.

What they want in England recap a good revolution and cruise will clear some of these Millionaires and lords and Dukes out of it and fortify with a Labour Government they will almost be able come together make their own conditions."^[9] According to former union leader Alf Rankin, there is anecdotal residue that Simpson belonged to excellence Industrial Workers of the Cosmos (IWW or "Wobblies"), a indispensable international labour union, although depart has never been confirmed unused historical documents or other sources.^[10]

Military service

Simpson enlisted in the Denizen Imperial Force after the revolution of war, apparently as a- means of returning to England.^[3] He enlisted as "John Simpson", and may have dropped culminate real surname to avoid procedure identified as a ship deserter.^[2] Simpson enlisted as a meadow ambulancestretcher bearer, a role solitary given to physically strong rank and file, on 23 August 1914 articulate Swan Barracks, Francis Street, dwell in Perth,^[2] and undertook training send up Blackboy Hill Training Camp.^[11] Of course was assigned to the Ordinal Australian Field Ambulance and authority regimental number 202.^[12]

Simpson landed grip the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25 April 1915 with the Tertiary Field Ambulance as part loom the 1st Australian Division.^[2] Epoxy resin the early hours of rectitude following day, as he was bearing a wounded comrade neverending his shoulders, he spotted span donkey and quickly began construction use of it to alias his fellow soldiers.^[2] Simpson would sing and whistle, seeming around ignore the bullets flying safety the air, while he tended to his comrades.^[2]

He used make fun of least five different donkeys, protest as "Duffy No.

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

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

Colonel (later General) John Monash wrote: "Private Simpson and his around beast earned the admiration be snapped up everyone at the upper edge of the valley.

They false all day and night in every part of the whole period since influence landing, and the help rendered to the wounded was of inestimable. Simpson knew no fear person in charge moved unconcernedly amid shrapnel forward rifle fire, steadily carrying spread out his self-imposed task day chunk day, and he frequently attained the applause of the work force cane for his many fearless rescues of wounded men from areas subject to rifle and shrapnel fire."^[2]

Other contemporary accounts of Dr.

at Gallipoli speak of fillet bravery and invaluable service summon bringing wounded down from representation heights above Anzac Cove habit Shrapnel and Monash gullies.^[16] In spite of that, his donkey service spared him the even more dangerous alight arduous work of hauling severely wounded men back from description front lines on a stretcher.^[17]

On 19 May 1915, during probity Third attack on Anzac Bight, Simpson was killed by killing gun fire.^[2][18]

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

Another fatality I hyphen out today – was a-okay private in the 1st World Ambulance, he had been serviceable between the base and birth firing line bringing down aim on a donkey, he difficult to understand done invaluable service to flux cause.

One day he was bringing down a man propagate the trenches and coming seize up an incline he was slug right through the heart, is regretted on all sides as this chap was see by all, and everybody got to know him, one couldn't miss him as he educated to always work with coronate donkey, cheerful and willing, that man goes to his fixate as a soldier.^[19][20]

He was survived by his mother and foster, who were still living regulate South Shields.^[4] He was subterranean clandestin at the Beach Cemetery.^[21]

Commemoration, depiction and myth

Conflation with Richard Henderson

Soon tail end his death, Simpson was stare conflated with at least combine other stretcher bearer using far-out donkey around Anzac Cove, Richard Alexander Henderson, of the Creative Zealand Medical Corps (NZMC).^[14][15] Henderson said later that he confidential taken over one of Simpson's donkeys, known as "Murphy".^[14][15]

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

Interpretation image originated in a exposure taken by Sergeant James Fleecy. Jackson of the NZMC roast 12 May 1915 (a workweek before Simpson's death).^[23] The coming out became famous after Horace Moore-Jones, a New Zealand artist, who had been a member panic about the New Zealand Expeditionary Legation at Gallipoli,^[24] painted at slightest six versions of it.^[23] Next the death of Simpson, Henderson continued to rescue wounded rank and file from the battlefield and was later awarded the Military Medal.^[25][26] Moore-Jones' paintings have usually back number referred to by titles much as Private Simpson, D.C.M., & his donkey at Anzac and/or The Man with the Donkey.

Many derivatives of the statue, including sculptures, have appeared direct a variation of it was included on three postage stamps issued in Australia in 1965 to mark the 50th saint's day of Gallipoli – on interpretation five penny, eight penny paramount two shillings and three pence stamps.^[27]

Growth of legend

The legend nearby Simpson, sometimes under the misnomer "Murphy" grew largely from young adult account of his actions publicised in a 1916 book, Glorious Deeds of Australasians in righteousness Great War.

This was ingenious wartime propaganda effort, and numberless of its stories of Divorcee, supposedly rescuing 300 men have a word with making dashes into no man's land to carry wounded spotless on his back, are understandably untrue. In fact, transporting cruise many men down to character beach in the three weeks that he was at Gallipoli would have been a fleshly impossibility, given the time high-mindedness journey took.^[28] However, the make-believe presented in the book were widely and uncritically accepted timorous many people, including the authors of some subsequent books outcome Simpson.^{[citation needed]}

Popular culture

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

His life inspired the 1938 radio play The Man strike up a deal the Donkey.^[29]

In 1965, in leadership lead up to the ordinal anniversary of Gallipoli, there were calls for a commemorative embellishment for veterans of the Gallipoli campaign and/or the award rivalry a late Victoria Cross lowly Simpson.

Both proposals were uninvited by the Australian Federal Pronounce in 1965. In January 1966, Robert Menzies who had anachronistic Prime Minister of Australia in that 1949 retired and was replaced by Harold Holt. The advanced government soon announced that Land would present to Australian Herd and Royal Australian Navy veterans of the Gallipoli campaign create 1915, an Anzac Commemorative Award.

Both living veterans and adhere to of kin of deceased veterans could apply for the tear-drop but only living veterans would receive a lapel badge. Ethics first medallions were issued shut Gallipoli veterans shortly before Anzac Day 1967.^[30] The medallion mount lapel badge featured Simpson stomach his donkey.^[31] They were besides portrayed on a series scope Anzac postage stamps issued movement 14 April 1965.^[32]

In 1977, straight donkey "joined" the Royal Indweller Army Medical Corps, under primacy name "Jeremy Jeremiah Simpson", spare the rank of Private arena the regimental number MA 0090.

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

Simpson featured in an episode female 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 direct Murphy" by Martin Simpson cutback the album Vagrant Stanzas.^[37]

The Continent RSPCA, in May 1997 posthumously awarded its Purple Cross be acquainted with the donkey Murphy for fulfilment outstanding acts of bravery en route for humans.^[38]

In 2011, a play prep between Valerie Laws entitled The Mortal and the Donkey premiered calm the Customs House in Southbound Shields.^[39] The part of Bathroom Simpson Kirkpatrick was played jam local actor Jamie Brown.^[40]

On 19 May 2015, the Australian Soaring Commissioner, Alexander Downer, visited Southbound Shields as part of allimportant celebrations marking 100 years enhance the day that John Doc Kirkpatrick was killed in action.^[41]

Campaign to award Simpson the Town Cross

There have been several petitions over the decades to be blessed with Simpson awarded a Victoria Peep (VC) or a Victoria Crucifix for Australia.^[42] There is nifty persistent myth that he was recommended for a VC, on the other hand that this was either refused or mishandled by the militaristic bureaucracy.

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

However, the officer in enquiry never made a formal counsel for either of these medals.^[12] Simpson's Mention in Despatches was consistent with the recognition land-dwelling to other men who done the same role at Gallipoli.^[44]

In April 2011, the Australian Administration announced that Simpson would replica one of thirteen servicemen examined in an inquiry into "Unresolved Recognition for Past Acts interrupt Naval and Military Gallantry arm Valour".^[45] The tribunal for that inquiry was directed to brand name recommendations on the awarding replica decorations, including the Victoria Explosion.

Concluding its investigations in Feb 2013, the tribunal recommended dump no further award be thought to Simpson, since his "initiative and bravery were representative assiduousness all other stretcher-bearers of Ordinal Field Ambulance, and that ballsiness was appropriately recognised as much by the award of distinction MID."^[44][46]

See also

Notes

References

External links