William Simpson

Born in Glasgow in 1914, and educated at Kings School, Canterbury, WILLIAM SIMPSON joined an advertising agency in London after leaving school. He later applied for a short-service commission in the RAF. He was posted to 12 Squadron, which, then equipped with the Hawker Hart, was based in Aden. After being shot down and grievously wounded on 10 May 1940, William eventually returned to the UK where he came under the care of the famous surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe - from which point he also...See more

Born in Glasgow in 1914, and educated at Kings School, Canterbury, WILLIAM SIMPSON joined an advertising agency in London after leaving school. He later applied for a short-service commission in the RAF. He was posted to 12 Squadron, which, then equipped with the Hawker Hart, was based in Aden. After being shot down and grievously wounded on 10 May 1940, William eventually returned to the UK where he came under the care of the famous surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe - from which point he also became a member of the Guinea Pig Club. He returned to RAF service at the Air Ministry in 1944\. After leaving the service with the rank of Squadron Leader in 1948, various press and public relations roles followed. William appeared on the BBC's famous biographical television documentary _This is Your Life_ after being surprised by Eamonn Andrews on 9 January 1961\. He was appointed OBE for his work as a member of the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Disabled People for more than thirty years. William Simpson passed away on 15 November 2005, aged 91. See less