History WW1 Research Task

1) Introduction
With the spirit of ANZAC day, it is important for us to commemorate
and respect all who had died during the war. This includes John
Simpson Kirkpatrick. He was a great Australian soldier who assisted
the Australian New Zealand Army Corp (ANZAC) during World War I
at Gallipoli, Turkey. This report is going to discuss about his life from
birth to death. The discussion will cover his background, his life in John Simpson
Kirkpatrick.
Australia, his life and death at Gallipoli and events on his date of death. Reproduced from
2) Background http://www.awm.gov.au
Full name /people/234.asp
This soldier’s full name is John Simpson Kirkpatrick. He had other
names, such as: John Simpson, Jack, Scotty (because of his Scottish
accent), Murphy, Simmie or the man with the donk (because he worked at Gallipoli with
a donkey).
a) Date and place of birth
John Simpson Kirkpatrick was born on 6th July 1892 at South Shields, Durham, North
East England.
b) Family background
He lived with his parents, sisters and brothers in his early life. His parents were Scots.
His father, Robert, was a merchant navy seaman and his mother was a domestic
housekeeper. John had four sisters but only three, Sarah, Peggy and Annie, survived. He
also had three brothers who had also died.
c) Early life and education
He loved the sea and his greatest wish was to follow his father to the sea. John also liked
animals; he had donkeys, rabbits, pigeons and a pony in his backyard. He had a normal
childhood as many other kids in South Shields. At the age of six John started school at
the Barnes Road Infants' School in 1898. In July 1900 he changed to the South Shields
Barnes Road Boys' School. In 1903 he moved again to Mortimer Road Council School to
complete his education. Kirkpatrick left school at the age of thirteen and worked as a
milk-float boy. He went around the street early each day with his pony, Andrew, pulling
the milk bogie. He continued the job until October 1909 when his father died. He was
seventeen and followed his father footstep to join the merchant army. He became the
breadwinner of his family and also achieved his dream.
3) Life in Australia
a) Early life in Australia
He sailed to Newcastle, Australia with the “Yedda”. After the arrival on Australia, John
and some other crews broke the employment contract. He traveled to Queensland and had
a variety of jobs: sugar cane cutter, station worker, coal miner and a steward, greaser and
fireman on ships traveling between the Australian ports. He sent money regularly back to
his family in England for he was the only son.
b) Date and place of enlistment
Three weeks after the outbreak of World War 1, John enlisted in Perth on the 20 th of
August, 1914. He was allotted to the Field Ambulance as a stretcher bearer.
 c) Unit and rank
John joined C Bearer Section, 3rd Field Ambulance, 1st Australian Division, Australian
Imperial Force as field ambulance stretcher bearer. He was of private rank which is the
lowest military rank.
d) Date of departure from Australia
He intended to take a chance to do his duty and return to his home. However, England
could not cope with the number of soldiers coming and Turkey had joined into the war;
John and others were sent to Egypt to complete their training on 19th October 1914.
4) Life in Gallipoli
a) Battles participated in
On the 25th April 1915 they landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
The purpose of this invasion was to weaken Turkish army thus
force Turkey out of the war. However, due to navigational error
the Anzac came ashore approximately two kilometers from
their planned landing site. They faced a hostile land, dense
bushes, steep cliffs, a high hills and Turkish soldiers on the
plateau above firing down on them. The Turkish defense was
strong. They quickly got into position. Machine guns fired,
whipping up jets of water. Artillery exploded overhead. This
attack drove the Australians back from the plateau. "Simpson & the donk".
Helping a soldier wounded in the leg. (AWM
Taken by surprise, by the end of day there were only J06392). Reproduced from
755 men who were either not killed or wounded in the http://www.troopertours.com/Simpson.asp
first wave. After that day, the Turks unsuccessfully
forced the Anzac back and the British and French also unsuccessfully tried to capture the
inland villages.
b) Life at Gallipoli
During this time John carried the casualties on a donkey back to the beach for evacuation.
He made his trip of carrying the wounded 12 to 15 times a day. Many times he never
stopped or hesitated making his trip even under severe condition. He was not a person of
discipline but that was the reason why many soldiers’ lives were saved. At night, he
camped with an Indian artillery unit instead of returning to his unit. The Indian called him
“the bravest of the brave”; even though under others’ eyes he was just a man with a
donkey. However, Simpson and his donkey received the admiration of all who watched
them work. Simpson was a hard-working and brave man.
c) Date and cause of death
On the morning of 19th May 1915, Simpson was on his trip. Usually he would stop at the
water guard and have breakfast. But he was too early and breakfast was not ready. So he
continued his trip. Then he saw a wounded soldier. Simpson placed him on the donkey
and made his way back. He reached the area where a signaler warned him of the danger
of a machine gunner. Simpson waved back, grinned and continued his way. He was kill
by a bullet hit him in the back.
d) Place and details of burial
He was buried at Hell Spit (Beach Cemetery at Anzac Cove). The Indian gunner risked
their lives to gather a circlet of poppies to decorate a wooden cross for John. Now the
wooden cross is replaced by a commemoration stone.
5) Events occurred on date of death
_ Turkish attack at ANZAC Cove: the German commander sent a Turkish troop of 42000
to attack 12500 Anzacs. Their intention was to drive the force to the beach and kill them
there. However the Anzac was prepared. The lines of Turks were almost immediately
gunned down by the Anzac. The Turks suffered 10000 casualties while the Anzac
suffered 628 casualties, including John Simpson Kirkpatrick.
_Lassen Peak eruption: Lassen Peak volcano erupted from 1914-1922 in Shasta County,
California, USA. On May 19, hot rocks from the lava spilled down the southern and
northern sides of the volcano. The destruction was mostly on the northern side. Massive
mudflows were created as snowbanks were melted. The debris swept
down the slope. A wide swathe was torn through the forest.
6) Conclusion
The image of a man supporting a wounded soldier sitting on a donkey
is not easy to be forgotten. John Simpson Kirkpatrick was mentioned in
Despatches. He also was nominated for “The Cross of Valour” and the
“Victorian Cross for Australia”. However the nomination failed. John’s
images appear on stamps, medals and the Australian 100 dollar note.
His statues were made in South Shields and outside the Australian War
Memorial, Canberra. In his life at Gallipoli, it is believed that Simpson and donkey statue (1988)
he saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers. This made him a outside the Australian War Memorial,
Canberra Reproduced from
legend. John Simpson Kirkpatrick is a hero of many http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sim
Australians. pson_Kirkpatrick

7) Bibliography
Web sites:
_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Simpson_Kirkpatrick
_http://www.afundit.co.uk/jskirk1.htm
_http://www.awm.gov.au/people/234.asp
_http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/178_08_210403/pea10011_fm.html
_http://www.troopertours.com/Simpson.asp
_http://www.anzacday.org.au/spirit/hero/chp00.htm
_http://www.aussiecynic.com/index.php/04/john-simpson-kirkpatrick-a-true-anzac-hero/
_http://www.nla.gov.au/gallipolidespatches/1-07-turkish_attack.html
_http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Lassen/EruptiveHistory/eruptive_activity_1914.ht
ml
Book: Simpson and his donkey.

JOHN SIMPSON
KIRKPATRICK SERVED AS
202 PRIVATE
J SIMPSON,
AUST. ARMY MEDICAL CORPS,
19TH MAY 1915 AGE 22
Reproduced from
http://www.troopertours.com/Simpson.asp