In October 1943, at the age of 29 years, RAAF Flight Officer James Orgill Simpson(Jim) from Nariel Victoria was in a Lancaster Bomber on his first mission, and was shot down over Germany. Jim was incarcerated as a Prisoner of War in Stalag IVB for the next 18 months. Jim was a tall strong and determined country man from the mountains in the Upper Murray area, a boy who had grown up trapping rabbits, shooting, riding a horse, and working on the farm…and also knitting. A pastime his mother had taught him, he never imagining how it would affect his life. Over the long months of being in the prison camp Jim collected wool, knitted, taught other prisoners to knit, and designed a 2m x 2.1m rug from memory, depicting an incredibly accurate map of Australia with mountains, lakes, islands, State boundaries and Coats of Arms. It is rare and unique in its design, size and condition, and has historical significance internationally as an example of the ingenuity and resilience of the Australian soldier. The design and creation itself has some significance in both its aesthetic and interpretative potential, illustrating the retained knowledge from a limited education system of Australia’s geography, and the social implications of a thirty year old man from an isolated farm in that era knowing how to knit complex patterns and designs. The precise provenance of the rug enriches its value both historically and aesthetically by providing detailed accounts of its design and construction under adverse conditions.
Locally the rug has become an important aspect of the region’s history. Jim was a local man who was renowned for his outspoken distrust of government, but one who was willing to stand up and be counted, serving years as a Shire Councillor, including a term as Shire President.
Jim passed away in May 2012 and the large gathering at his funeral all agreed that his rug held a part of his soul and a special place in the hearts of the many people whose lives he touched over his long life.
The rug is now proudly displayed in the hometown of its creator in The Man From Snowy River Museum in Corryong, as was Jim’s request, a part of his soul living on in his beloved mountains.