George Kenneth's Story.
George was born in Hoylake, Cheshire to parents Henry, a Commission Merchant, and Emily. By 1901 they lived in Beckenham, Kent, where he went to school and then on to Dulwich College.
In 1910 George emigrated to Canada, where he lived in Vancouver. At the outbreak of the First World War he volunteered for service and joined the 2nd Canadian Contingent but keen to be at the front he obtained a discharge and travelled to England. George then joined the Royal Garrison Artillery in March 1915, transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in October of that year, where he was posted to the kite ballooning section as an observer.
He was promoted to Lieutenant in August 1916 serving throughout the Battle of the Somme. In February 1917 George became a Balloon Commander.
On the 1st March 1917 George was up in a balloon with a 1st Air Mechanic. They had been up in the air for four hours and were just starting to descend when a German aircraft approached at speed. It managed to avoid the anti-aircraft fire and shot incendiary bullets at the balloon, which soon caught fire. Both men on board wore parachutes but George refused to exit the balloon until he had helped the Air Mechanic leave first. The delay meant that as George parachuted out, the burning balloon fell with him and set fire to his parachute and the whole lot fell blazing to the ground. George was badly burnt and sadly died of his injuries a few days later on the 7th March.
George Kenneth Simpson was posthumously awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry.