SIMSON, Charles Eric Playfair (1892-1948)
He was born at Roseneath Station, Casterton, on 2 October 1892, the son
of Charles Simson and Catherine nee Owens.
He was educated at Geelong College entering as a boarder in 1905 and leaving in 1909. He then gained pastoral experience on Carr's Plain Station, Stawell, in 1910, and on Roseneath Station until 1915.
During World War I, he enlisted (No 6628) in the AIF on 20 July 1915, and a week later married Ada Gladys Hall, daughter of Richard Henry Mant and Emily Mary nee Hall, of Maryborough, Queensland. He embarked as a Gunner with 4 Field Artillery Brigade on HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 18 November 1915, and served in Egypt with the 2nd Division until March 1916 when his unit proceeded to France. He was wounded in the thigh and shoulder at Messines on 13 May 1917 and evacuated to England to recuperate. He was invalided to Australia on 20 December 1917.
Pegasus provided a brief obituary in December 1948:
'Eric Simson, who was educated at Geelong College from 1905 to 1909, died at Casterton on August 26. Except for service in the 1914-18 war, when he was wounded in action, he followed a successful pastoral career, taking at one time the Australian record for Merino lamb's' wool, and being active in the Graziers Association of Victoria. He was also a member of the Glenelg shire council. Apart from business his interests included ornithology and the study of aboriginal implements, and his books and collections have been passed on to the College.'
His son, Charles Eric Douglas Simson (1916-2000) was also educated at Geelong College.
Sources: Pegasus December 1948 p46; ‘Geelong Collegians at the Great War’ compiled by James Affleck. p309 (citing Alexander Henderson, 'Henderson's Australian Families' (1941); The Pegasus; National Archives).