Simon was born on 15 December 1924 in Salford, Lancashire to Lewis Goldman and Doris nee Dembowsky and he had three younger sisters, Greta, Sybil and Helene. In 1939, the family lived above their drapery shop at 448 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester. Simon who was fourteen was at school.

On 3 July 1942, aged 17, Simon went to Liverpool where he joined the Dutch cargo steam ship S.S. Tjileboet as a cadet.

The ship left Swansea on 7 November, en route to the Middle East via Belfast, Bahia and Capetown carrying food and ammunition. She was spotted by U-161 who fired torpedoes causing a massive explosion. The ship sank killing all sixty-two crew.