Simpson & His DonkeyPrint Page

The sculpture of "Simpson and his Donkey" is a tribute to the service and sacrifice of our medical health personnel in all theatres of war.  The life-size bronze sculpture is of Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his donkey carrying a wounded soldier, from the frontlines at Gallipoli.

Adelaide has a strong link with the Australian Army Medical Corps. The city was home to the 3rd Field Ambulance from World War One until 1995. The South Australian connection was instrumental in the memorial and the reason this statue was erected in South Australia to commemorate that army corp and the dedication of the people involved.

John "Jack" Simpson Kirkpatrick (6 July 1892 – 19 May 1915), who served under the name John Simpson, was a stretcher bearer with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during the Gallipoli Campaign in World War One. After landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, he obtained a donkey and began carrying wounded British Empire soldiers from the frontline to the beach, for evacuation. He continued this work for three and a half weeks, often under fire, until he was killed. Simpson and his Donkey are a key part of the "Anzac legend".

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