Man with the Donkey (aka Private John Simpson and his Little Donkey) image 1086581-1
Man with the Donkey (aka Private John Simpson and his Little Donkey) image 1086581-2
Man with the Donkey (aka Private John Simpson and his Little Donkey) image 1086581-3
Man with the Donkey (aka Private John Simpson and his Little Donkey) image 1086581-4
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Man with the Donkey (aka Private John Simpson and his Little Donkey) 1935

ANDERSON, William Wallace

Registration number

1086581

Artist/maker

ANDERSON, William Wallace

Title

Man with the Donkey (aka Private John Simpson and his Little Donkey)

Production date

1935

Medium

bronze, granite

Inscriptions

West Side of Base: "The / Man with his Donkey / Gallipoli, April 25 to May 19 / in Commemoration / of the valour and compassion / of the Australian Soldier" AFTER LANDING AT GALLIPOLI, SIMPSON, WITH HIS LITTLE DONKEY, WORKED ALONE, DAY AND NIGHT TAKING WATER TO THE FRONT LINE AND CARRYING THE WOUNDED BACK TO THE DRESSING STATIONS. HE AND HIS DONKEY WERE KILLED BY A SHRAPNEL SHELL ON THE 19TH MAY, 1915. SIMPSON WAS MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES BY SIR IAN HAMILTON, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE MEDITERRANEAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. / Erected by Public Subscription under auspices of the / Red Cross Society. East Side of Base: Private John Simpson.

Credit line

Funded by public subscription under the auspices of the Red Cross Society, 1936
City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection

Keywords

Man with the Donkey, Simpson, Wallace Anderson, Cast bronze statue on granite pedestal, 1935, West forecourt, Shrine of Remembrance, Private John Simpson

Summary

Location: West forecourt, Shrine of Remembrance A bronze figure of Simpson and his donkey with a wounded man on the donkey's back on a granite pedestal. Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick’s intrepid and short-lived exploits during the Gallipoli campaign have made him a popular figure of World War One. He has been mythologised to represent the lauded values of the digger, and he symbolises all those who went into battle unarmed. Born in England in 1892, he came to Australia in 1910. He enlisted to make his way back to England, but as a member of the 3rd Field Ambulance AIA was sent to Gallipoli. After just three weeks of bearing wounded soldiers across Shrapnel Gully on the back of his donkey, Simpson was killed by shrapnel fire. Simpson’s story became a powerful propaganda tool for enlistment in Australia, but following the war he was quickly forgotten. With the Shrine of Remembrance nearing completion in 1933, the memory of Simpson was rekindled to commemorate all who gave their lives to help others during the war. One plaque reads: ‘The / Man with his donkey / Gallipoli … / In commemoration / of the valour and compassion / of the Australian soldier’. In 1935, Wallace Anderson’s design for the memorial was selected though a competition organised by the Australian Red Cross. Anderson had served during the war and worked at the Australian War Memorial after his return. His Man with the Donkey was cast in Italy, and after some debate was sited near the shrine. Unveiled 20th June, 1936