Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Pilot Sergeant A. S. Simpson, Royal Air Force, killed ina flying accident, 14 March 1942

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, all unnamed, extremely fine (3) £100-120

Pilot Sergeant Andrew Smith Simpson, R.A.F., made his first flight with No. 73 Squadron at El Adem on 19 February 1942 and was soon operational, flying the Hurricane Mk.II, No. Z.5597. He was killed in a flying accident on 14 March 1942, aged 22 years. The Operations Record Book states:

[Taking off from Gambut] ‘We had another accident during the night flying practice but this one proved more tragic than last nights. Sgt. Simpson took off at 2045 and had only been airborne for a minute or so, when through some unknown cause, his machine dived into the ground and burst into flames. The fire tender and ambulance rushed out to the crash but by the time they arrived there they found nothing but a heap of smouldering ashes’.

Pilot Sergeant Simpson was buried in the Tobruk War Cemetery. He was the son of John and Elizabeth N. B. Simpson, of Little Elrick, Aberdeenshire.

Sold with medal forwarding box addressed to ‘J. Simpson Esq., 10 Westcott, Wantage, Berks.’, and with named condolence slip. Also with copied extracts from the Squadron’s Record Book and other research.