My name is George Simpson, and I was born May 24th, 1924 in Forfar, Scotland. I was one of four children. I went to a school called Forfar West, which my whole family attended. Once I finished school, I started looking for work.
I did various jobs. My most memorable one was being a delivery man, delivering bread to people throughout my town. I remember when the war started in 1939 in Europe. Even though we declared war on Germany it was very quiet in our part of the country. Only later when the air rides began I'd hear the planes fly by sometimes and then hear on the radio that Dundee or Edinburg were bombed.
On December 17th, 1942 a letter came to my home. When I opened it, it was the news so many other youngsters throughout Scotland were receiving: I was being "called up" to the military. I can recall so many of the factories in my neighborhood being taken over by the Army. The reality of the war set in when those buildings were changed from vessels of industry into military posts.
Once I was officially registered, I was sent to Fort George for basic training. They conditioned us well and taught us how to utilize weaponry. I had no idea what regiment I was going to be sent to, but I knew they were working us hard to excel wherever we were sent. Training was a physical and mental expedition. After six weeks, I passed the basic training and my superiors told me I was going to be a driver. That was a bit of a relief.
I was posted to Carlisle for driving school. I learned how to drive various military vehicles in Carlisle. Once I learned all I could there, I was transferred to Northampton in the beginning of 1943 for even more training.
After D-Day, our forces were enraged and ready to fight. Our infantry was put on a ship and deployed to France. It was my first time in the sea and it was a long, arduous trip. I can't remember much from the journey, but I do recall being seasick. Once we landed in France, our regiment settled and traveled to Belgium.
The Germans were terrorizing Europe, exploiting so many smaller countries that couldn't defend themselves. We felt it was our duty to neutralize them. When we got to Brussels, the citizens were overjoyed to see us. They may have felt overwhelmed under the thumb of the Nazis, but the Allied forces represented a turn of the tide. Now, they would have someone to fight for them.
From Belgium we continued onto Holland, then Germany. I can't quite remember all the details now; a lot of memories have faded because of my age. I do remember in October 1944, I was wounded in Germany. One day, our regiment was getting ready to move out on patrol. In the process of the conflict, I was shot in the left arm. My adrenaline was pumping so much I didn't realize I was hit until after the gunfight, when our superiors were doing a headcount.
A friend of mine, Fitzgerald was also wounded in his bottom which was actually quite comical - he was hopping on one foot holding his arse. We were sent to a medical hospital back to England. They called my wound a "bodily emergency." After we recuperated, I was sent out to Germany. By then, the Allied forces had Germans retreating by the day. Their defeat was inevitable.
Eventually, our superiors got us together and told us the Germans surrendered and the war was over. We were all ecstatic. After the war, I was stationed in Hamburg. Our official duties were to get the Russian soldiers back to their lines.
It was a festive time, more than anything. There was a victory parade in London, while I was still stationed in Europe. I remember us soldiers had their own celebration one night at a boating point. We were drinking merrily, and some of us had a little too much fun. I for one ended up falling over the boat into the water.
I stayed in Hamburg for a few months, and then returned to Scotland in 1947.
Upon return to Scotland, I retained work as a construction worker. I met my eventual wife in 1956, and was married in 1962. In 1960, we were set to move to Australia, but I had a bad accident, and ended up staying put. I had a son in 1965, and a daughter in 1966. I started a business with my brother, which I kept going until 1982. I was also involved in my local Village Hall with my wife for 19 years.
I've been in my current home for three years. These days, I just enjoy what I have provided for my family.
