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Maurice Thompson Simpson

Flying Officer - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves - 99 Squadron - Service No. 130500

Background Information

Born

9th June 1921

Academics

Rank

Flying Officer - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves - 99 Squadron - Service No. 130500

Campaigns

Died

21st January 1945 age 23

Maurice Thompson Simpson was born on 9th June 1921 in Durham. His father was John Frederick Simpson, a Constructional Engineer, and his mother was Mary Annie (née Ballantyne). The previous school that he attended was Chiswick County School.
In 1937 Maurice Simpson joined The County School for Boys – now known as Gravesend Grammar School. The Head Master at that time was the Reverend Samuel Lister. The County School for Boys was located in Darnley Road, Gravesend close to the Railway Station (now the Victoria Centre for Education). In 1938 the School moved to brand new premises in Church Walk, Milton, Gravesend opposite to Milton Church.
The School’s Admission Register lists Maurice’s address as 25 Devonshire Road, Gravesend. Whilst at the School, Maurice was in Hill House, he was a Prefect, played for the 1st XV Rugby Team and for the 1st XI Cricket Team.
In 1939 Maurice left the School. During World War Two, he enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves, Service Number 130500.
By 1945 he was a Flight Lieutenant with 99 Squadron in India, based in Jessore, Bengal. Maurice and his crew took part in night bombing raids on the Japanese in Burma, flying the Consolidated Liberator, a 4-engine bomber. On 21st January 1945, Maurice Simpson’s aircraft, Liberator KH254, collided with Liberator KG974; another aircraft from the Squadron, at Char Mahammadpur, Bengal, due to bad light and ground mist. Both aircraft were fully laden with bombs. Maurice was killed age 23. He is remembered at Maynamati War Cemetery, Bangladesh.

There are links below to Newspaper Clippings and Photographs from the Gravesend Grammar School Archives.
Below are links to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and a few other websites that might be of interest:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1057386/simpson,-maurice-thompson/
http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1434&displayorder=62

Maynamati War Cemetery, Bangladesh