FOUR generations of the Simpson family will march in the Anzac Day Parade in Rosewood on Thursday.
A similar opening to a story was published in the Moreton Border News 14 years ago, except in 2010, it was reported that three generations of the Simpson family took part in the march.
Now, there’s a fourth generation in this dedicated military family.
While the adults will be wearing their service medals, and their father will be in the uniform of the RAAF, the fourth generation are a little too young to consider enlisting at this stage.
The newest family members to be involved are Jemimah Carson, 9, and her brother Freddie, 7, who attend St Brigid’s School in Rosewood.
Also notable is the distance some members of the family will travel to take part in the Anzac Day commemoration in Rosewood this year
The eldest, Fred Simpson, now 88-years-old, brought his family to live in Rosewood in 1971.
He served with the RAAF for 13 years, first to undertake his training at Richmond, followed by postings to Townsville, Manus Island, Malaya, Amberley, Villawood and then back to Amberley.
Fred was deployed into the Malayan Emergency, a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth Armed Forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army.
He was medically discharged from the RAAF at Amberley in 1967. Four years later, he and his family became Rosewood residents.
Fred has since retired to Caloundra.
The second generation of the family to be involved in the Anzac Day march is Fred’s son, Jim, who served with the RAAF for two decades.
During his military career, Jim was posted around Australia, Malaysia, Sinai and New Guinea.
On his discharge in 1996, he chose to spend another 12 years as a public servant linked to the RAAF. He retired in late 2008, and with his wife Gail, lived in Rosewood. Later they moved to Cairns.
Jim’s daughters are the third generation of the family to choose a career in the Australian Defence Force.
His eldest daughter, Rebecca Weston, served in the Navy for four years and discharged in 2008. Keeping it all the family, Rebecca married an Army Engineer.
Jim’s second daughter, Jessica also served with the RAAF and completed 10 years service in 2010. She has since discharged. Her husband also served in the RAAF and for some years, the couple and their children lived in Rosewood.
Jim’s youngest daughter, Penelope, joined the RAAF in 2006 and she too has since discharged from the service.
Penelope’s husband, Sam Carson, is an RAAF Avionic Technician, who is now based at Amberley.
Sam and Penelope returned to live in Rosewood in 2023 and both joined the Rosewood sub Branch of the RSL.
Jemimah and Freddie are the eldest of Sam and Penelope’s four children. They will march and then place a wreath at the memorial in honour of their father.
And Sam has taken up the Rosewood RSL invitation to give the Anzac Day address during the Morning Service.
The march to the Rosewood Dawn Service will commence at 4.20am from the Rising Sun Hotel. The Service will be held in the Rosewood Memorial Hall from 4.28am.
The main march will assemble at the corner of John and William Streets. It will commence at 9.00am and the Morning Service will be held in the Rosewood Memorial Hall from 9.30am.
