This Is Your Life: William Simpson

Squadron Leader William SIMPSON OBE, DFC (1914-2005)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - William Simpson, former Royal Air Force bomber pilot, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC's Lime Grove Studios, having just finished recording the commentary for a filmed television appeal.

William, who was born in Glasgow and educated at Kings School, Canterbury, worked for an advertising agency in London before joining the RAF in 1935. Posted to No 12 Squadron, he was assigned to bomb German road convoys moving through Luxembourg in May 1940. However, he suffered disfiguring burns to his face and crippling injuries to his hands when the Germans shot his aircraft down in flames.

After spending 18 months in various hospitals in France, he returned to the UK, where he was admitted to the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead. There, under the skill of the New Zealand plastic surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe, he underwent 15 operations between 1941 and 1950. After the war, he developed a career as a journalist and author, finally settling into a job in public relations with British European Airways.

"I would like to place on record the gratitude of myself and my family for all the kindness, hospitality and consideration. You cannot imagine how much pleasure it gave my mother and sister to be reunited"

programme details...

Edition No: 146
Subject No: 146
Broadcast live: Mon 9 Jan 1961
Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 6
Edition: 17

on the guest list...

James Stewart
Edward Odell
George Whittinghill
Mary Rea
Cliff Michelmore
Ruth Swan
Robert - son
Anne - daughter
Peter Hunt
Jane Hunt
J B Harris
Mrs Harris
Stephen Murray
Mrs Simpson - mother
Nina Simpson
Mary - sister
Monica - wife

production team...

Researcher: Liam Nolan
Writer: Liam Nolan
Director: Michael Goodwin
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

with thanks to Anne Burness, Bob Marchant of the Guinea Pig Club and the East Grinstead Museum for their contributions to this page

related pageS...

Military Life

saluting the armed forces

Cliff Michelmore

Photographs of William Simpson This Is Your Life

Anne Burness, daughter of William Simpson, recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in this exclusive contribution to the BigRedBook website...

My most vivid memory of the day was the 'dress rehearsal' and as my brother and I were summoned on stage the whole set behind us in the wings came crashing down!!

Luckily no one was hurt and all went very smoothly on the live show.

Series 6 subjects