2nd Lieut John Wyckliffe Simpson (MC)

• Age: 24
• From: New Brighton, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 1st August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

The life of Second. Lieutenant John Wyckliffe Simpson M.C.--short in years but full of works accomplished--is a typical illustration of all that is best in the British character. No matter what period of his career is touched upon there is always the same happy and manly spirit; the same consideration for others which led up to the crowning act of self-sacrifice for his country and his comrades.

Educated at the Liverpool Collegiate School, where he did excellently, he passed from there to the staff of The Royal Insurance Co, Ltd, North John Street, Liverpool, and showed much promise of a successful business career until he joined the army. The ranks were filled with British sportsmen--their response astonished detractors who spoke of too much devotion to games-- and "Wyck,"  as he was generally known, was keen on football, though in pre-war days his chief delight was in being on the Mersey, and under the capable tutelage of his father, Mr. James C. Simpson, of "Sunny Brae," Magazines, New Brighton, one of the founders of the West Cheshire Sailing Club, he became very expert in the handling of their threequarter rater yacht "Carina" carrying off a silver cup in 1914 at the Royal Mersey Regatta. In common with most lovers of the open air he had a clear conception of his spiritual obligations, and was an active worker at the Rake Lane Church, Liscard Sunday School, and always had a good influence on younger boys.

When the call went forth to the young manhood of the country Wyckliffe Simpson was one of the first to respond, for in September, 1914, he joined the 10th King's (Liverpool Regiment), better known locally as the Scottish. He trained with his unit in various parts of the country, but within four months he had crossed over to France, and had taken his place in the trenches. He took part in all the historical engagements in which the Scottish were concerned in the early days of the war--at St Eloi, Hill 60, and the Second Battle of Ypres, up to the celebrated charge at Hooge on June 16th, 1915, when he fell shot through the lung and arm, and received first aid from Dr Chavasse before being taken to the rear. 

Twelve months elapsed before he was really fit again, and he then went to Keble College Cadet School Oxford, being gazetted to the 9th King's (Liverpool Regiment) in October, 1916. In January, 1917, he was attached to the 20th King's (Liverpool) "Pals" Battalion and with that unit, of which the city was so proud, he was engaged throughout the heavy fighting that took place during the spring and early summer. It was in fact in the course of those operations that he was awarded the Military Cross on April 9th by displaying great bravery in the fight for the Hindenburg Line at Mercutel, east of Arras. It was on August 1st, 1917, that he finally fell in action in Belgium at Stirling Castle, east of Ypres, being buried on the field, all the bearers being shot down.

In no circumstances perhaps could a man's fine worth be better judged--certainly there is no sterner test--than on the battlefield, and what matter of man Lieut. Simpson was is testified to by the glowing tributes which were paid to him by officers and men after his death. "Wyck's" parents received most touching letters from the battalion.
A Lance-Corporal wrote: "Mr Simpson was a gentleman and a hero. The platoon were stunned when they heard of his death and we all miss him terribly."
The Company Sergeant-Major added: "I have been in action with Mr Simpson several times, and I know the N.C.O's and men had the greatest confidence in him as their leader, and on the occasion when he won the Military Cross I have seldom seen anyone cooler or more determined under very heavy shell and machine-gun fire. It is hardly too much to say that the men worshipped him."

His Colonel reported that "he led the platoon just in the same way he would lead the battalion football side, always a cheerful word and encouraging his men. Loved by his brother officers the battalion lost an officer whose place it would be impossible to fill. 
The chaplain relates : " A day or two before the battle took place he came with many others to a celebration of the Holy Communion. I shall always keep him in my thoughts as "one of the whole company of Heaven" with whom we join in worshipping God while on this earth."

All who knew Wyckliffe Simpson were the better for the privilege, for he was the best of sons, a loving brother, a firm friend, and a true comrade, and what higher tribute could be paid to his memory. If days seem dark to those who knew "Wyck" they can always take courage from his cheery optimism, and as long as life lasts it will always be a stimulating memory to recall his favourite motto: "keep smiling." Like the afterglow of sunset the influence of his life is felt warming and helping others to look beyond the clouds of this world to the glorious brightness surrounding all those who "went west" in a righteous cause.   

The above extract was taken from Liverpool's Scroll of Fame.

John Wyckliffe (Wyck) was born in Liverpool in 1893, the only son of James Charles Simpson and Florence Edith (nee Harrison), who married in Liverpool in 1892. He had two younger sisters Florence Isobel and Mary Elizabeth.

On the 1901 Census the family are living with his mother's parents at 24 Hampstead Road, Fairfield, Liverpool. Head of the household is John Harrison aged 69 born in Liverpool, his wife Elizabeth is aged 77 and born in Sheffield. His  father James Charles is 35 years old and is a manager for a charity workshop, he was born in Liscard, whilst his mother Florence Edith is aged 33 and was born in Liverpool. Their children, all born in Liverpool are listed as John W. aged 7, Florence Isobel aged 6 and Mary Elizabeth  aged 1. There are also two servants declared.

By the time of the 1911 Census he is aged 17,  and employed as an insurance clerkl living with his parents and two siblings at Sunny Brae Magazine Promenade, New Brighton. His father James Charles is shown as being aged 46 and a manager for a workshop of unemployed men, his mother Florence Edith is 43 years of age. THey advised that they had been married for 19 years and had 3 children. His siblings are declared as Florence Isobel, a 16 year old dressmaker and Mary Elizabeth aged 11. His mother's father John Harrison aged 79 is also living with the family.

He served with the 10th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Socttish) from September 1914 until he was wounded at Hooge on June 16th, 1915, when he fell shot through the lung and arm. He spent a year recupperating before being gazetted to the 9th K.L.R. in October, 1916. In January, 1917, he was attached to the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. On the 11th February 1917, he attended a course at the 30th Divisional School, at Saulty, and on the 18th he went from there to Beaurapaire Farm, rejoining the Battalion on the 23rd. The following day, he went on a patrol of enemy saps, to establish if they were occupied.

As an officer in ‘C’ Company, he was present at the fighting on the Hindenburg Line in front of Henin Sur Coejeul, near Arras, in April 1917, and he won a, Military Cross for displaying great bravery on 09th April 1917 at Mercatel. This was announced in the 20th Battalion War Diary on May 14th 1917 and in a supplement to the London Gazette of 18th July 1917:

MC citiation.

"For conspicious gallantry and devotion to duty. He led his platoon with great coolness and ability through the barage,although it suffered heavy casualties. Finding himself almost without men, he took command of another platoon, and, reorganising, the two attacked again."

Moving on from Arras and the Liverpool Pals were heavily involved in the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). On the first day of the Offensive, he was in charge of the Battalion Guides, and although he apparently survived the fighting and shelling of the 31st, he is officially listed as being killed in action the following day at a position known as Stirling Castle. However, the Battalion War Diary has a copy of a signal sent to the Adjutant from Second-Lieutenant JC Muir Commanding ‘C’ Company, and timed at 10.15am on 31st July. This clearly states, ‘Am held up at Stirling Castle J. 13.d.8.0. Am the furthest advanced troops. Got a mixture of Regts. & am consolidating where I am along Trench running northwards of above point. No officers left Simpson killed & Lunt wounded. Have no stretcher bearers.

Unless Muir was simply mistaken, in all the confusion of that day, and Simpson was not dead, it would seem that Simpson’s date of death is wrong, and that he was killed on the 31st July 1917, the first day of the attack. Muir himself was wounded at some point during the first few days of the offensive, and perhaps as a result, was never asked to verify the substance of the message. The Memorial book ‘The Liverpool Scroll of Fame ‘, states that Simpson was buried on the field, all the stretcher bearers being shot down. Although it also quotes his date of death as 01st August, the account does tally with Second-Lieutenant Muir’s version of events. In the absence of any further proof, however, the official date must be accepted. Simpson was aged twenty four.

As described above he was killed in action on 01st August 1917. The 20th Battalion diary gives details of the circumstances that the Battalion found themselves in during the early phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). Having taken part in the initial fighting of 31st July 1917 there is a general write up in relation to the period 01st -08th August and specifics solely from the 03rd August. As such it is impossible to say exactly how each of the men who fell on 01st or 2nd August met their death.

20^th Battalion Diary 01^st August – 08^th August

The Battalion continued to hold the position taken up on the morning of 31^st July. After the first day the weather was very wet and the going very difficult, but the men’s spirits remained wonderfully good. From time to time there was very heavy enemy shelling and in addition to this machine guns and snipers were very active. The work of communication was extremely difficult and the wires to Companies and to Battalions on our flanks were repeatedly cut and were only kept going by most excellent work by our linesmen, who suffered very heavy casualties as also did the runners. 

Second Lieutenant Simpson's burial place must have been subsequently lost or destroyed as has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. 

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His death was reported in the local press in both the Daily Post on 10th August and the Wallasey News of 11th August 1917:

Mr.and Mrs. James C.Simpson, of Sunny Brae, Magazines, New Brighton, have received intimation of the death in action of their only son, Second-Lieut. John Wyckliffe Simpson, who was recently awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in France. Second-Lieut.Simpson had been at home on leave, returning to the front three weeks ago. He went out with the Liverpool Scottish at the commencement of the war, and was seriously wounded in the famous charge at Hooge. He obtained his commission in November, 1916, and was gazetted to the 9th King's. Returning to France in December, he was attached to the "Pals." He was an old Collegiate School boy, and was captain of the football team, and an active worker at Rake-lane Sunday School,Liscard. Like his father, he was a keen yachtsman, and was a member of the West Cheshire Sailing Club. Prior to the war he was in the employ of the Royal Insurance Company. 

Soldiers Effects to father James Charles, no Pension record found. 

Probate was granted on 13th November 1917 to James Charles Simpson, manager, Sunny Brae Magazine Promenade. Effects £130 4s 11d.

Wyck is also commemorated on the  following Memorials;

Collegiate School, Shaw St, Liverpool,

Wallasey Civic Memorial,

Wallasey Roll of Honour

Emmanuel C. of E. Church, New Brighton.  

He is also Commemorated on the family grave in Rake Lane Cemetery, Liscard, Wallasey.

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