Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 57835 William Henry Simpson

Age: 21
From: Gateshead, Durham
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
D.O.W Wednesday 19th December 1917
Commemorated at: Ljssenthoek
Panel Ref: XXVII.C.3

William Henry was born in late 1896 in Gateshead, the eldest son of John Simpson and his wife Annie Grace (née Prince). John, from Gateshead, and Annie, from Newcastle, married in Newcastle in 1891 and had seven children.

He had an older sister Florence (two others, Elizabeth and Mary Ethel, died at age 1), and younger brothers John, Edward, and James.

In 1901 the family is living in Freeman’s Place, Gateshead, with three children. His father is 40, a railway engine driver, his mother is 34, Florence is 8, William 4, and Edward 1. Also in household is relative Mary Costello, 15.

By 1911 they have moved to 85 Bensham Road, Gateshead. His father is 50, a railway engine driver, his mother is 44, Florence is 18, at home, William is 14, a grocer’s message boy, Edward is 11 John 9, and James 4. Also living with them is Annie's father, widower Edward Prince, aged 74 and a railway pensioner.

Prior to the war William Henry was employed as a Clerk in the Locomotive Department of the North East Railway. He had been employed for 5 years before enlisting in Sunderland in around February 1916 when he joined the Army Cyckist Corps as Private 15830 aged 19.

He transferred to the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment and was serving as Private 57835 when he died of wounds on the 19th December 1917.

He now rests at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery XXVII.C.3 where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"PEACE PERFECT PEACE".

During the First World War, the village of Lijssenthoek was situated on the main communication line between the Allied military bases in the rear and the Ypres battlefields. Close to the Front, but out of the extreme range of most German field artillery, it became a natural place to establish casualty clearing stations. The cemetery was first used by the French 15th Hopital D'Evacuation and in June 1915, it began to be used by casualty clearing stations of the Commonwealth forces.

From April to August 1918, the casualty clearing stations fell back before the German advance and field ambulances (including a French ambulance) took their places.

The cemetery contains 9,901 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 24 being unidentified. There are 883 war graves of other nationalities, mostly French and German, 11 of these are unidentified. There is 1 Non World War burial here.

The only concentration burials were 24 added to Plot XXXI in 1920 from isolated positions near Poperinghe and 17 added to Plot XXXII from St. Denijs Churchyard in 1981.

Eight of the headstones are Special Memorials to men known to be buried in this cemetery, these are located together alongside Plot 32 near the Stone of Remembrance.

The cemetery, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, is the second largest Commonwealth cemetery in Belgium.

His death was reported in the Newcastle Journal on the 30th January 1918:

CASUALTIES AMONG LOCAL MEN

Mr and Mrs Simpson, 85 Bensham Road, Gateshead, have received news that their son, W. H. Simpson, King's Liverpool Regiment, died of wounds on December 19th. Before joining the colours he was on the clerical staff at Borough Gardens locomotive department, Gateshead.

An online commemorative site shows that William died of gunshot wounds to the left upper arm and compound fracture of the femur, in No.3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station.

His parents received his Army effects of £7-13s-11d a War Gratuity of £10, pension of 7/6d a week

His father died in 1927, aged 67, and his mother died in 1930, aged 64.

William Henry is also commemorated on the Gateshead War Memorial.

We currently have no further information on William Henry Simpson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

Grateful thanks are extended to the National Railway Museum for permission to use the photograph of William from their archives.

Killed On This Day.

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
L/Cpl 29203 Valentine Alexander
26 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 27948 Joseph Atherton
26 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 51896 Richard Edward Banks
34 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 46630 Watson Bell
38 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Lieut Roland Henry Brewerton
27 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 51708 Charles Norman Dod
21 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
L/Cpl 94246 Frank Emison
24 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 23056 John William Jones
27 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 49572 John Henry Leadbeater (MM)
27 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Sgt 22462 James Lowe (MID)
25 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 51712 Edgar Domenico Murray
21 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 269899 Harry Pitts
21 years old

A total of 14 Pals were killed on this day. View All