William Simpson (judge)

Early life

Simpson was born in Balmain, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. He was educated at Fort Street Boys' High School. His father was a barrister and William enrolled in Law at Sydney University.

In December 1916 Simpson deferred his Law studies and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. In January 1918 he was sent to the Western Front where he served as a driver. He returned to Australia in April 1919 and was discharged from the A.I.F.

Civilian life

Simpson resumed his Law studies at Sydney University in 1919. He graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws and was admitted to the Bar in 1920. In his practice as a barrister he specialised in legal actions related to motor-vehicle accidents.

Simpson was a member of the Nationalist Party of Australia and in the period 1922 – 1925 he nominated for three elections – both State and Federal – but without success.

In 1925 he married Dorothy Margaret Peel Blackley with whom he had two sons.

Second Australian Imperial Force

In 1922 Simpson joined the Militia as a legal officer. In 1941 he was attached to the Second Australian Imperial Force with the rank of temporary Brigadier. He was sent to the Middle East where he served as deputy judge advocate-general of the 2nd A.I.F. He returned to Australia in June 1942 and was appointed deputy judge advocate-general at Land Headquarters in Melbourne.

National security

In September 1942 Simpson was appointed Director-General of Security in Australia. The director-general of security was Head of the Commonwealth Security Service and was based in Canberra. In this role Simpson reported to the Attorney-General, Herbert Evatt, who was his contemporary at Fort Street Boys’ High School and Sydney University.

The Commonwealth Security Service investigated organisations and individuals considered likely to be subversive or actively opposed to the nation’s interests. It investigated espionage and sabotage. It vetted defence-force personnel and workers in defence-related industries. It controlled the issue of passports and visas. It was responsible for the security of airports and wharves, and factories engaged in manufacture of munitions and other items necessary for Australia’s war effort. It was responsible for radio security. Simpson was also responsible for identification of enemy aliens, and for their internment and release.

In November 1944 Simpson was discharged from the Army and continued as a civilian in his role as director-general of security. In June 1945 he produced a report warning of the danger of the Communist Party of Australia.

Supreme Court

In October 1945 Simpson resigned as director-general of security and was appointed the sole judge of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory. Concurrent with his role as Supreme Court judge, Simpson was also the judge advocate-general of the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force.

Justice Simpson gave advice on the findings of war crimes tribunals in Australia.

In 1947-48 Justice Simpson chaired an inquiry into the cost of producing wheat in Australia.

Air accidents

Justice Simpson chaired Air Courts of Inquiry into three major aviation accidents in Australia:

Shipping accident

In November 1947 Justice Simpson chaired the Commonwealth Court of Marine Inquiry into the stranding of the 9,786-ton motor vessel Reynella on a reef. On 18 August 1947, while sailing from Lae, Papua New Guinea to Sydney, the Reynella became stranded on a reef in the Jomard Passage in the Louisiade Archipelago. There was no injury or loss of life, and the Reynella was refloated on 12 September 1947.

Justice Simpson found the Reynella’s Captain was careless in his navigation and ordered his certificate of competency to be suspended for six months.

Later life

Mr Justice Simpson retired from the Supreme Court in April 1960 suffering from Parkinson's disease. He died in Marrickville, a Sydney suburb, in November 1966.