Willington Cemetery

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In Willington Cemetery there is a family headstone which reads:-

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Joseph William Simpson born during the 4th quarter 1921 in the district of Durham was the youngest of 3 known children, all sons, brother to Leslie Clement Simpson and Raymond born 1914, sons of William Simpson born 1887 at Darlington, County Durham and Mildred Clement of Willington, County Durham, born 1889, whom he married in the district of Durham in 1912. William would have most probably served during WW1.

Joseph William enlisted during WW2 and was assigned to 106 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he was trained and served as Flying Officer 127980. His brother Raymond also served in the R.A.F. as Senior Aircraftman.

Having been disbanded at the end of WW1 in 1919, 106 Squadron was reformed in 1938 flying Hampdens with No. 5 Group as a training squadron. In September 1940 it became an operational bomber squadron, carrying out minelaying duties before joining the bombing campaign in 1941 flying nighttime operations over Europe. It was re-equipped with Manchesters then converted to Lancasters in early 1942.

Flying Officer 127980 Joseph William Simpson was killed along with 6 of the 7 crew members aboard his plane, April 3rd 1943. The other members of the crew were Sergeant 1314248 Thomas John Ridd (Pilot) of Monmouthshire aged 21, Flying Officer 128509 Alan Cairns Palmer (Navigator), Sergeant 931584 Robert Charles Henry Webb (Flight Engineer), Sergeant 64600 Ronald Sydney Sabell (Air Gunner) of Northampton, Sergeant 1337304 Ernest Williams (Air Gunner) died 4 days later April 7th 1943. Along with Flying Officer Simpson they were originally interred at Brunen Municipal Cemetery until their bodies were exhumed April 12th 1947 and brought into Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, near the town of Kleve, Germany close to the Dutch border. The body of Sergeant 1271016 Aaron Burson (Wireless Operator), aged 21 of Hampstead, London, was never recovered, his sacrifice is recorded on panel 144 as one of the 20,288 names inscribed on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

Probate was granted, May 2nd 1943 in the sum of £222/0/10d to his uncle Wilfred Clement as the death of Joseph William’s father preceded that of his own. William Simpson of 16, Belle Vue, Willington, County Durham died August 29th 1941, aged 51 years at The County Hospital. May 18th 1941 probate was granted to Snr. Aircraftman Raymond Simpson in the sum of £1167 pounds/12/8d.

Mildred Simpson nee Clement, (address as above), died aged 63 years, January 5th 1952 leaving the sum of £4680/0/8d to her sons Raymond Simpson, grocer’s assistant, and Leslie Clement Simpson, blacksmith.

In God's safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Also killed in the same crash was F/Off. A.C. Palmer

Joseph William Simpson is remembered at Willington on W120.02 and W120.04

The CWGC entry for Flying Officer Simpson