Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Military Service

Additional Information

Born 27 February 1895 in Vars, Ontario. Son of Mr. Andrew and Hannah (Tanner) Simpson of Vars, Ontario. Brother to James Herbert, Builah Elizabeth, Ethel Alice, George Ephraim, Ester May, John Andrew and Wilfred Edgar. Enlisted 2 January 1917 in Ottawa, Ontario with the 207th Battalion attesting that he was single and a farmer. He sailed from Halifax to Liverpool on the SS Olympic on 28 April 1917. He was transferred to the 7th Reserve Battalion (Seaford) on 11 June 1917 and again transferred to the 156th Battalion (Whitley) on 21 August 1917. Dispatched to France 18 January 1918 where he was transferred to the 38th Battalion on 1 February 1918. Pte Simpson was killed in action at Lozinghem, County of Pas de Calais, France. On the morning of May 28th while Battalion was moving into training field, one shell from enemy artillery caused 23 casualties - 6 killed and 17 wounded, while companies were moving in column of fours. ( Excerpt from the 38th Battalion War Diary). Pte Wesley Adam Simpson is commemorated on the Vars Cenotaph which was formerly dedicated and unveiled on 20 September 1931 by the Vars Women's Institute. The plaque inscription reads: 'In proud and loving memory of the boys of this community who laid down their lives in the Great War 1914/1918. Matthew Barclay, Wesley Simpson, Ernest Bonsall, Robert McElroy, Charles War, Ernest Buckland, Frank Cormack, Roy Brownlee, Warren Dunning. Their name liveth for evermore'.

Commemorated on Page 501 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.