Letters from Lt Colin Douglas Simper to Mrs Irene Simper Wallet 3, Part 4







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cross an open sand bank about
thirty yards wide — the jungle
came right down to the banks so it
was impossible to see what lay on
the opposite side.
The forward scout was sent
across and when about half way
across the sandbank, he was fired
on and killed — he actually lived
for about ten minutes. We have
an unwritten code in our unit
that we will get every wounded
man out; regardless. This can
normally be done by concentrating
heavy fire from a flank while
others move in under cover of
this fire and get the wounded
out.
It appeared that Col was over-anxious
and he rushed forward.
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As he neared the wounded lad,
another shot came from the Jap
position and Col was shot through
the left buttock, the bullet passing
through the lower abdomen and
out through the left groin.
The strength of the patrol was
now reduced to four and they
did make very commendable
endeavours to silence the Jap fire
in order to get Col and the other
lad out but to no avail.
One lad was sent back to bring
assistance while the other three
engaged the enemy position. During
this time, Col, while lying on the
ground, was sheltered from enemy
fire by the bank of the creek, and
after assuring himself that the
other lad had died, Col crawled out
(over)
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to safety. Shortly afterwards, a
strong fighting patrol arrived and
they cleared the enemy position
and carried Col back to hospital.
Col was operated on and the
operation was successful and Col
was making good progress and
was very cheerful.
After two days, some sort of
shock or reaction set in and Col
passed away. He was most cheerful
right to the last.
I'm sorry Irene that I am not
able to pass on any messages as
during this time, my Company was
well forward and in action — the
story of the affair was told to me
by one of the lads who was on
Col's patrol. I'm certain though that
Col's only thoughts were of you and
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your two children — he loved
you all very dearly and never
ceased speaking of you when
we were together — he was very
proud of his family.
I'm sorry that I can't tell you
anything about the oil - painting Col
did but I can tell you the procedure
adopted concerning personal articles
belonging to deceased personnel.
Everything in possession of the
deceased is collected and made up
into a parcel — that is, everything
not of army issue in the way of
army clothes and equipment. A list
of these articles is made out in
triplicate, one copy is enclosed in
the parcel, one copy forwarded to
x 2nd Echelon District Records Office,
and the third copy retained by the
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unit.
These articles are sent by the
unit to Records Office, who, in
turn, forward the parcel to the
next-of-kin of the deceased. This
procedure takes quite some time
normally — you know the army — but
they are eventually delivered. I feel
sure that had the painting been
with his gear where he was
camped, it would have been
included in the parcel.
I had not seen Col for several
weeks as my Coy had been well
forward the whole time but when
I last saw him we had quite a
long chat and he was his cheerful
self.
I saw Col's grave in the war
cemetery just before I left the island —
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it is well laid out and very well
cared for.
Gosh Irene, this whole business
is rotten isn't it? I have been
particularly fortunate myself and
have not received a scratch — there
were many near misses however
and my equipment was hit on
several occasions. The age of miracles
has not yet passed.
I have been in hospital now for
ten days and feel quite well
again — I expect to be going to a
Corp Depot to-morrow. Just what
the future holds in store for me
I don't know, but yesterday I was
classified as B2. It appears that I
will not be sent back to my
unit but I do hope that I am
not pushed into a job on this
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island — the thought of that doesn't
appeal to me very much at all.
I do hope that you and you two
children are well — I would love
to meet you all someday; Col has
told me so much about you.
Alma and Larry are well —
probably worrying unnecessarily but
Alma says she knows in her
heart that I will return safely to
her — I have felt that way all
along and it looks quite certain
now.
Cheerio Irene — please forgive
me if I have written too much; it
has not been easy to write but I
do hope that what I have written
will be of some little help.
Sincerest regards and best wishes.
Yours Sincerely.
Len Chapman.
[*W L Johnson*]

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