Noble Numismatics Pty Ltd
Auction 125 24-27 Nov 2020
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CB, CBE, DSO and Bar Group of Eleven: The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion (CB) neck badge; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Companion (CBE) neck badge; Distinguished Service Order (DSO) (GVIR type 1); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, - clasp - 8th Army; Pacific Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45 with MID; Australia Service Medal 1939-45; Coronation Medal 1953; Efficiency Decoration (GRI) with Australia suspender. The first three medals and the tenth medal unnamed as issued, the fourth to sixth medals unnamed but have a small crown impressed on reverse, NX12221 N.W.Simpson on seventh to ninth medals, NX12221 H/Brig. Simpson. N.W. A.I.F. on last medal. The seventh to ninth medals impressed and the last medal engraved. The first two medals and the last group of nine medals each display mounted, good very fine - extremely fine.
Together with books - Alamein The Australian Story by Mark Johnston and Peter Stanley, 2002, hard cover with dust jacket, 314pp; The Second 43rd Australian Infantry Battalion 1940-1946 by Gordon Combe, M.C., Frank Ligertwood, E.D., and Tom Gilchrist, 1972 (1992 reprint edition), hard cover with dust jacket, 286pp, both books feature Maj-Gen Noel Simpson CB, CBE, DSO & Bar, ED.
The above medals were on display at The Army Museum, Victoria Barracks, Paddington, Sydney, NSW from March 1976 until November 1992.
CB: LG 31/5/1963, p4827; CAG No.56/63 27/6/1963 to Maj Gen N.W.Simpson, (386621) Aust Mil Forces.
CBE: LG 2/1/1956, p40; CAG No.2 12/1/1956 to Brig N.W.Simpson, General List, Aust Mil Forces.
DSO: LG 11/2/1943, p743, to NX12221 Lt-Col N.W.Simpson, 2/17 Bn - for extreme courage & tenacity of purpose Alamein 23/24 Oct 42. Presented by the Governor-General at Admiralty House, Sydney on 23 July 1945.
Bar to DSO: LG 20/4/1944, p1817; CAG 13/4/1944, p803, to NX12221 Lt-Col N.W.Simpson, 2/17Bn - for great energy, bravery & sound judgement N.Guinea '43. At the request of the recipient the Bar to the DSO was presented to his mother, Mrs A.C.Simpson, by the Governor-General at Admiralty House, Sydney on 23 July 1945.
MID: LG 6/3/1947, p1091; CAG 6/3/1947, p750, to NX12221 Temp Brig N.W.Simpson, 29 Aust Infy Brigade - for exceptional service in the field in S.W.P. Area.
Entitlement to Coronation Medal confirmed to Col (Hon Brig), Hon ADC N.W.Simpson DSO, ED, Aust Mil Force.
Aust ED: CAG No.200 24/10/1946, p3000 - NX12221 Col (Hon. Brig.) N.W.Simpson DSO, Reserve of Officers.
Noel William Simpson, bank officer, born 22Feb1907 at Balmain, Sydney, NSW; Enl.06May 1940 at Sydney, NSW in AIF with 14 years previous service as an officer attaining the rank of Major; Emb.19Oct1940 as Major with 2/33Bn for service in Middle East; noted as Deputy Adjutant General 7th Division; to Lt-Col 2/17Bn 07Mar1942; RTA and Disemb.27Feb1943 at Sydney, NSW; Emb.31Jul1943 as Lt-Col 2/17Bn for New Guinea; to 2/43Bn 28Feb1944; RTA and Disemb.10Mar 1944 at Brisbane, Qld; to Col and Brig 29Bde 21Mar1945; Emb.28Mar1945 for ops in New Guinea and Solomon Islands; to 23Bde 29Nov1945; to Reserve of Officers 1946; Commander 6Bde 01Jul1953 to 30Jun1958; T/Maj Gen 01Jul1959; Commander 3 Division 01July1959; Died at Repatriation General Hospital Heidelberg, Vic 18Nov1971; Buried at Springvale Crematorium, Vic.
Maj-Gen Noel W.Simpson CB, CBE, DSO, ED was referred to as the 'The Red Fox', a sobriquet arising from the emblem painted on his bren-gun carrier. His twin brother, Maj Grosvenor Harry Simpson, was killed at Anzio, Italy on 31 May 1944.
Noel completed his schooling at North Sydney Boys' High School and then started work at the National Bank of Australasia on 27 December 1922. After joining the militia in 1925 he was commissioned an officer in March 1926 and by August 1930 he had been promoted to Captain. Just after World War II started he was a temporary Major in the 45th Battalion but on 6 May 1940 he enlisted in the AIF. He embarked for service in the Middle East as Major with 2/33 Battalion and part of his service included the Syrian campaign and as Lt-Colonel was in command of 2/17 Battalion at the battle of El Alamein. He was rewarded for his outstanding leadership with the award of the Distinguished Service Order.
He returned to Australia with his unit and after further training they were deployed to Lae and then Finschhafen in New Guinea, both under Japanese control. Simpson was wounded during the advance at Finschhafen but continued to lead his men in the advance along the Huon Peninsula. His unit inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy in the Kumawa area and then successfully defended Jivevenang Ridge for over two weeks and this operation was vital in the future campaign at Sattelberg. Lt-Col.Simpson was awarded a Bar to his DSO for these operations.
During the next few months he commanded the 24th and 20th Brigades, rejoined the 2/17th Battalion and then retrained the 2/43rd Battalion and then appointed temporary Brigadier before leading the 29th Brigade in March 1945 for an operation in Bougainville. This operation was put on hold due to torrential rain and by the time the weather improved the war had ended. After the war Simpson was put on the Reserve of Officers and returned to work at the National Bank although he remained in service with the Citizen's Military Forces commanding the 6th Brigade and later the 3rd Division as a temporary major-general. Also, in 1950 he was Honorary Aide-de-Camp for the 2nd Military District to His Excellency The Governor-General of Australia, Sir William McKell (CAG No.14, 16March 1950, p631).
Noel William Simpson was appointed a Commander of the British Empire in 1956 as a brigadier and in 1963 a Companion of the Order of the Bath as a major-general. In 1960-62 he was the CMF representative of the Military Board, the highest position open to a part-time officer. He retired from army service on 23 February 1964 and then after nearly ten years as an assistant inspector with the National Bank he retired in 1966. He died in hospital from a heart attack five years later.
With research and photos.
Together with books - Alamein The Australian Story by Mark Johnston and Peter Stanley, 2002, hard cover with dust jacket, 314pp; The Second 43rd Australian Infantry Battalion 1940-1946 by Gordon Combe, M.C., Frank Ligertwood, E.D., and Tom Gilchrist, 1972 (1992 reprint edition), hard cover with dust jacket, 286pp, both books feature Maj-Gen Noel Simpson CB, CBE, DSO & Bar, ED.
The above medals were on display at The Army Museum, Victoria Barracks, Paddington, Sydney, NSW from March 1976 until November 1992.
CB: LG 31/5/1963, p4827; CAG No.56/63 27/6/1963 to Maj Gen N.W.Simpson, (386621) Aust Mil Forces.
CBE: LG 2/1/1956, p40; CAG No.2 12/1/1956 to Brig N.W.Simpson, General List, Aust Mil Forces.
DSO: LG 11/2/1943, p743, to NX12221 Lt-Col N.W.Simpson, 2/17 Bn - for extreme courage & tenacity of purpose Alamein 23/24 Oct 42. Presented by the Governor-General at Admiralty House, Sydney on 23 July 1945.
Bar to DSO: LG 20/4/1944, p1817; CAG 13/4/1944, p803, to NX12221 Lt-Col N.W.Simpson, 2/17Bn - for great energy, bravery & sound judgement N.Guinea '43. At the request of the recipient the Bar to the DSO was presented to his mother, Mrs A.C.Simpson, by the Governor-General at Admiralty House, Sydney on 23 July 1945.
MID: LG 6/3/1947, p1091; CAG 6/3/1947, p750, to NX12221 Temp Brig N.W.Simpson, 29 Aust Infy Brigade - for exceptional service in the field in S.W.P. Area.
Entitlement to Coronation Medal confirmed to Col (Hon Brig), Hon ADC N.W.Simpson DSO, ED, Aust Mil Force.
Aust ED: CAG No.200 24/10/1946, p3000 - NX12221 Col (Hon. Brig.) N.W.Simpson DSO, Reserve of Officers.
Noel William Simpson, bank officer, born 22Feb1907 at Balmain, Sydney, NSW; Enl.06May 1940 at Sydney, NSW in AIF with 14 years previous service as an officer attaining the rank of Major; Emb.19Oct1940 as Major with 2/33Bn for service in Middle East; noted as Deputy Adjutant General 7th Division; to Lt-Col 2/17Bn 07Mar1942; RTA and Disemb.27Feb1943 at Sydney, NSW; Emb.31Jul1943 as Lt-Col 2/17Bn for New Guinea; to 2/43Bn 28Feb1944; RTA and Disemb.10Mar 1944 at Brisbane, Qld; to Col and Brig 29Bde 21Mar1945; Emb.28Mar1945 for ops in New Guinea and Solomon Islands; to 23Bde 29Nov1945; to Reserve of Officers 1946; Commander 6Bde 01Jul1953 to 30Jun1958; T/Maj Gen 01Jul1959; Commander 3 Division 01July1959; Died at Repatriation General Hospital Heidelberg, Vic 18Nov1971; Buried at Springvale Crematorium, Vic.
Maj-Gen Noel W.Simpson CB, CBE, DSO, ED was referred to as the 'The Red Fox', a sobriquet arising from the emblem painted on his bren-gun carrier. His twin brother, Maj Grosvenor Harry Simpson, was killed at Anzio, Italy on 31 May 1944.
Noel completed his schooling at North Sydney Boys' High School and then started work at the National Bank of Australasia on 27 December 1922. After joining the militia in 1925 he was commissioned an officer in March 1926 and by August 1930 he had been promoted to Captain. Just after World War II started he was a temporary Major in the 45th Battalion but on 6 May 1940 he enlisted in the AIF. He embarked for service in the Middle East as Major with 2/33 Battalion and part of his service included the Syrian campaign and as Lt-Colonel was in command of 2/17 Battalion at the battle of El Alamein. He was rewarded for his outstanding leadership with the award of the Distinguished Service Order.
He returned to Australia with his unit and after further training they were deployed to Lae and then Finschhafen in New Guinea, both under Japanese control. Simpson was wounded during the advance at Finschhafen but continued to lead his men in the advance along the Huon Peninsula. His unit inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy in the Kumawa area and then successfully defended Jivevenang Ridge for over two weeks and this operation was vital in the future campaign at Sattelberg. Lt-Col.Simpson was awarded a Bar to his DSO for these operations.
During the next few months he commanded the 24th and 20th Brigades, rejoined the 2/17th Battalion and then retrained the 2/43rd Battalion and then appointed temporary Brigadier before leading the 29th Brigade in March 1945 for an operation in Bougainville. This operation was put on hold due to torrential rain and by the time the weather improved the war had ended. After the war Simpson was put on the Reserve of Officers and returned to work at the National Bank although he remained in service with the Citizen's Military Forces commanding the 6th Brigade and later the 3rd Division as a temporary major-general. Also, in 1950 he was Honorary Aide-de-Camp for the 2nd Military District to His Excellency The Governor-General of Australia, Sir William McKell (CAG No.14, 16March 1950, p631).
Noel William Simpson was appointed a Commander of the British Empire in 1956 as a brigadier and in 1963 a Companion of the Order of the Bath as a major-general. In 1960-62 he was the CMF representative of the Military Board, the highest position open to a part-time officer. He retired from army service on 23 February 1964 and then after nearly ten years as an assistant inspector with the National Bank he retired in 1966. He died in hospital from a heart attack five years later.
With research and photos.