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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

James Simpson

In memory of:

Assistant Purser James Simpson

September 4, 1915
North Atlantic

Military Service

Age:

31

Force:

Merchant Navy

Unit:

Canadian Merchant Navy

Division:

RMS Hesperian (Glasgow, Scotland) (124266)

Additional Information

Born:

July 7, 1884
Liverpool, England

Son of Thomas Simpson and Sarah Priest of 8 Highfield Road, Walton, Liverpool, England. Brother of Corporal Percy Thomas Simpson, Regimental Number 22840, Kings (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Battalion, British Army, who was killed in action in France on 1 August 1917 in the First World War, and Private Reginald Charles Simpson, Regimental Number 66852, British Royal Garrison Artillery. He survived combat in France and Belgium during the same conflict.

On 4 September 1915, the Hesperian was en route from Liverpool, England, to Montreal, Quebec, when it was torpedoed at 8:30 a.m. by the U-20 off the coast of Ireland, 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Fastnet Rock, southeast of Ireland in the North Atlantic. The attack resulted in the death of 32 people, as the ship was carrying 653 passengers. Remaining afloat, she was towed 35 miles (56 km) before sinking 130 miles (209 km) off Queenstown, England, on 6 September. This U-20 will sink the Lusitania.

Commemorated on Page 65 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

TOWER HILL MEMORIAL
London, United Kingdom

Grave Reference:

N/A

Location:

THE TOWER HILL MEMORIAL stands on the South side of the garden of Trinity Square, a hundred yards East of Mark Lane Station, and just within the boundaries of the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney and the Liberty of the Tower. It is at the hub of maritime England. Behind it are Trinity House and the offices of the Port of London Authority, and the Thames stretches before it; the wide space of Great Tower Hill, leading down from it to the river, is the traditional forum of merchant seamen and their fellow workers. Lloyd's is on the North, the Custom House and Billingsgate Market are near it on the West, and beyond the Tower, Eastwards, is the long line of the Docks the greatest dock system in the world.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– His name as it is inscribed on the Tower Hill Memorial. The 480 fallen Canadians lost at sea, are honoured on this Memorial. May they never be forgotten. (J. Stephens)

    Details

    Memorial
    Memorial – His name as it is inscribed on the Tower Hill Memorial. The 480 fallen Canadians lost at sea, are honoured on this Memorial. May they never be forgotten. (J. Stephens)
  • Memorial– The tower Hill Memorial is located in London, England at Tower Hill and across from the Tower of London. This Memorial is dedicated to the 50,700 Commonwealth merchant seamen, fishing fleet workers and other on-board crew lost during the First World War. Included on this list are the 480 Canadians that gave their lives in the cause of the Great War. (J. Stephens)

    Details

    Memorial
    Memorial – The tower Hill Memorial is located in London, England at Tower Hill and across from the Tower of London. This Memorial is dedicated to the 50,700 Commonwealth merchant seamen, fishing fleet workers and other on-board crew lost during the First World War. Included on this list are the 480 Canadians that gave their lives in the cause of the Great War. (J. Stephens)

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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