Background
George Goodman Simpson was born in Saint Kilda, Victoria, Australia, on the outskirts of Melbourne on 14 September 1896, to Minna Alice Lazarus and George Green Simpson.
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George Simpson
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By 1901, the Simpson family, which included elder brother Rolfe, was living at Swaynes Hall, Saint Mary"s Church National School, in Saffron Walden, England. In 1916, George Goodman Simpson lived in Regent"s Park. In later life Simpson would claim to be native to London, England.
He joined the Artists Rifles as a private soldier before Simpson joined the Royal Naval Air Service on 8 August 1915.
After pilot"s training, he was awarded his pilot"s certificate at Chingford on 29 January 1916. He was then assigned to Number.
1 Wing, where he flew Sopwith Pups and Nieuports. Simpson then transferred to 8 Naval Squadron.
During this posting, he scored his first aerial victory with a Nieuport, as well as becoming A Flight"s commander.
When the squadron upgraded to Sopwith Triplanes, he would score five more victories with his personal plane, number N5460. He would continue to fly a Triplane after a posting to 9 Naval Squadron, tallying two more wins while flying number N5462. His final victory was scored while 9 Naval was staged at Leffrinckoucke, France.
He was awarded a for his exploits: Fairlight
Lieutenant George Goodman Simpson. Foreign gallantry and able leadership in aerial fighting, notably on the following occasions:— On 3 May 1917 he drove down a hostile aeroplane out of control.
On 11 May 1917, while on offensive patrol with five other machines, he attacked six hostile aircraft. One of these he brought down out of control, and a few minutes later he attacked another at close range and brought it down in flames.
On 23 May 1917 he led a formation of five machines to attack at least twice that number of hostile aeroplanes.
Both formations became split up, and a general fight ensued. Five times during the combat he drove off hostile aeroplanes from another of our machines, and one of those which he attacked was seen to go down in a spin. After leaving 9 Naval for England, Simpson flew Home Defence sorties from Royal Air Force Cranwell during the latter part of 1917, though without results.
He then became a test pilot at Royal Air Force Martlesham Heath during 1918.
Simpson married Constance Vera Baker at Christ Church on Albany Street in London on 21 July 1918.
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Born
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Died
April, 1990 (aged 93) -
Nationality
Australia