Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Harry Louis Simson was born on 5 February 1889 at Wellington, the third son of Emanuel Ambrose and Elizabeth Emma (née Luckins) Simson. Emanuel and Elizabeth who married in 1880 had seven sons and two daughters. Harry was educated at Newtown, Kilbirnie and Rintoul Street schools, and maybe others. While Harry was a salesman at Hastings in 1911, he had established himself as a Regimental Band member in Timaru before 1914. In February 1914 H. L. Simson was a member of the Timaru Regimental Band which was “playing splendidly” when it travelled to the contest in Auckland. Later in the year (1914) he moved to Christchurch, and subsequentlyfrom there to Reefton.

“Mr H. L. Simson of the New Zealand Clothing Factory, Reefton, left for Trentham by last evening’s train, and was farewelled by a large number of friends. Although in Reefton only a few months, Mr Simson made many friends, who wish him a safe return. Mr Simson makes the third of the family who has gone to the front, so that it is well represented there.” [Inangahua Times, 7 December 1915.] “The members of the Inangahua Silver Band, on Sunday last, presented Mr H. L. Simson with a set of military brushes as a slight memento of the respect in whieh that member was held. Mr R. Wills, in making the presentation, referred to the good work the departing member had accomplished during his sojourn in Reefton, and he hoped he would return to again fill the position of secretary. Mr Simson suitably responded, regretting leaving Reefton, but he felt he had a call to assist the Empire.” [Inangahua Times, 8 December 1915.] Mr Harry Louis Simson, of Reefton, reports at Trentham tomorrow as a non-comniissioned officer for the Thirteenth Reinforcements. [Greymouth Evening Star, 15 December 1915.] Harry Louis simson, clothier, Reefton, had actually passed the medical test and enrolled for the Eleventh Reinforcements.

Harry Louis Simson, a warehouseman (Hallenstein Bros), enlisted at Trentham on 16 December 1916. His address was Broadway, Reefton. Single and Roman Catholic, he named his father as next-of-kin – Emanuel Abrose Simson, Tailor, Dannevirke. Harry had served with the Volunteers (Band) for two years and with the 2nd Regimental Band (South Canterbury) until he left the district. Sergeant H. L. Simson embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the 13th Reinforcements, departing on 27 May 1916. After serving with the Army of Occupation in Germany, Harry arrived back in New Zealand on 10 May 1919 per the “Kia Ora”. He was discharged on 7 June 1919, on the termination of his period of engagement, and awarded the Bristish War Medal an the Victory Medal. He went initially to 16 York Street, Timaru. Why? 16 York Street was the home of Margaret Mary O’Shea (Shea). Harry and Margaret who had surely met when Harry was in Timaru and kept in touch thereafter, married at Timaru on 17 June 1919. They moved to Wellington then to Feilding where they brought up a family of four girls and two boys. Harry contuned as salesman then clothier.

Harry Louis Simson died at Palmerston North (of Feilding) on 26 November 1946, aged 57 years. Following a Requiem Mass at St Bridey’s Church, Feilding, he was buried in Feilding Cemetery. Margaret died at the Home of Compassion, Wellington in December 1973 and was buried with Harry at Feilding. Four brothers of Harry also served in World War One – Bert Ambrose Simson, Sydney Simson (killed in action, 1916), Frank Luckins Simson and Reginald Fowler Simson. When his brother Private Syd. Simson was killed in action at the Somme on 16 September 1916, Sergt. H. L. Simson was “somewhere in France” and another brother, Lance-Corporal F. L. Simson, was lyig badly wounded in Netley Hospital, England. At the Second (South Canterbury) Regimental Band’s annual meeting in May 1917, H. L. Simson was included in a list read out giving the names of six ex-members who had joined the forces from other towns. In February 1933, history of the Timaru Municipal Band was recalled. A Roll of Honour list of members of the band who served in the War included H. L. Simson.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [23 April 2026]; Timaru Herald, 5 February 1914, 23 May 1917, 11 February 1933, Inangahua Times, 7 & 8 December 1915, Greymouth Evening Star, 9 & 15 December 1915, Evening Post, 26 November 1946 (Papers Past) [20, 21 & 26 April 2026]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [23 April 2026]; School Admission records [26 April 2026]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [26 April 2026]; Feilding Cemetery headstone image (Find A Grave) [26 April 2026]; Feilding Cemetery burial record (Manawatu District Council) [26 April 2026]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.