Colin Hall Simpson

Major General Colin Hall Simpson, (13 April 1894 – 23 August 1964) was an Australian Army officer who rose to the rank of major general as Signal Officer in Chief during the Second World War. He was one of the founders of Amcal, the largest retail pharmacy chain in Australia.

Simpson joined the Australian Imperial Force in 1916, and served on the Western Front in the Battle of Messines and Battle of Passchendaele. He was twice wounded, and was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross. After the war he worked as a pharmacist, and rose to the rank of colonel in the Militia. He transferred to the Australian Corps of Signals on its formation in 1925.

During the Second World War he participated in the campaigns in Greece and Syria as Chief Signals Officer of the I Corps. He returned to Australia in 1942 to become the Australian Army's Signal Officer in Chief. He also became the first Australian Corps of Signals officer to reach the rank of major general.

Early life

Colin Hall Simpson was born in St Kilda, Victoria, on 13 April 1894, the son of Colin Simpson, a plumber, and his wife Elizabeth Fulton Simpson, née Jordan. He was educated at St Kilda Primary School, and, from 1911, at Caulfield Grammar School. While at Caulfield Grammar, Simpson joined the Australian Army Cadets, rising to the rank of sergeant. After leaving school he became an apprentice pharmacist. He served with the 49th (Prahran) Battalion in which he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 1 March 1914. He became its assistant adjutant on 12 April 1915 and was promoted to lieutenant on 1 July 1915.

First World War

Simpson was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 1 May 1916, and posted to the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, part of the 3rd Division, which was then being raised in Australia. He embarked from Port Melbourne on the transport HMAT ''Wandilla'' on 6 June 1916, arriving in England on 26 July 1916. The 3rd Division trained on the Salisbury Plain in England, where he was promoted to lieutenant on 13 October 1916. He was transferred to the 3rd Division Signal Company on 16 November 1916. Soon after, the 3rd Division moved to the Western Front, moving into the line near Armentières. Simpson was mentioned in despatches on 4 January 1917. (MID)

The 3rd Division carried out its first offensive at the Battle of Messines in June 1917. For his part in the battle, Simpson was awarded the Military Cross. His citation read:

Simpson participated in the Battle of Passchendale where he was gassed and wounded. He was evacuated to England on 22 October 1917. While in hospital he applied for nine months' leave to return to Australia and complete his pharmaceutical studies. He had passed the Intermediate Examination before leaving Australia but not the Final Examination. This was granted, and he embarked for home on the transport HMAT ''Persic'' on 21 December 1917. He passed the Final Examination, and was registered as a pharmacist on 10 July 1918. He never returned to the front, and his AIF appointment was terminated on 9 August 1918.

Between the wars

Simpson remained in the Army as a reservist. He was posted to the 2/14th Infantry on 1 October 1918, and was promoted to captain on 16 April 1920. In the post-war reorganisation of the Army, the 2/14th was absorbed into the 14th Infantry Battalion in March 1921. In May, he transferred to the Royal Australian Engineers and joined the 3rd Division Signals Company. He was promoted to major on 1 July 1922, and became its commander, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, on 1 September 1923. On 1 January 1925, the signal units were separated from the Engineers to form the Australian Corps of Signals, and he was transferred to the new corps. He commanded the 39th Infantry Battalion from 1 July 1929 to 30 June 1933, after which he was on the unattached list for two years before resuming command of the 3rd Division Signals Company. On 1 May 1939, he assumed command of the 6th Infantry Brigade, with the temporary rank of colonel.

Simpson opened his own chemist shop in Brunswick West in 1918. On 12 August 1919 he married Jean Elizabeth Watson at the Congregational Church in Ascot Vale, Victoria. Their marriage produced two children, a son who died in infancy and a daughter, Jean Marjorie. One of the witnesses at their wedding ceremony was a fellow Militia officer, Alan Ramsay, who later married Jean's sister Edna. In 1937, Simpson banded together with D. E. Robertson and A. E. Moore to create the Allied Master Chemists of Australia Ltd, today better known as Amcal. They invited other pharmacists to join them to compete against the growing market power of major retailers. The business grew from 12 members in 1937 to over 100 by 1946. Today Amcal is the largest retail pharmacy chain in Australia.

Second World War

Middle East

Simpson joined the Second Australian Imperial Force on 15 October 1939 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was allocated the AIF service number VX79, and assumed command of the Australian Corps Signals. When the I Corps was formed in April 1940, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Blamey was appointed its commander, and Simpson its Chief Signals Officer, with a promotion to the rank of colonel.

Simpson embarked on the transport ''Nieuw Holland'' on 15 September 1940, arriving in Kantara, Egypt, on 12 October. He met with his British counterparts, and discussed arrangements for the creation of an AIF Signals School in the Middle East. Some negotiation was required before this proposal was finally accepted. He was disappointed at the standard of training that had been achieved by the I Corps and 6th Division signals units in the Middle East, and just as disappointed with the reinforcements arriving from Australia. Both the standard of training of the units and the establishment of the schools intended to remedy the situation were hampered by a serious shortage of equipment. The 6th Division's list of critical shortfalls—by no means restricted to signals equipment—included 120 telephones and of electrical cable. Not until January 1941—after the 6th Division had been committed to battle in Libya—did the cable become available in Australia. Some units equipped themselves with captured enemy materiel.

Simpson arrived in Greece on 7 March 1941 as part of the I Corps advance party. The Battle of Greece presented a major challenge for Simpson's signals units, as rugged terrain, enemy action and frequent troop movements conspired to frustrate their efforts to maintain reliable communications. The news that Yugoslavia had offered to surrender reached Blamey from a BBC
...