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*]