Patrick Simon

Patrick Simon, AO, (12 June 1955 – 13 May 2020) was a French politician, dentist, Mayor of Villers-Bretonneux from 2008 until 2020, and strong proponent of Australia–France relations. Simon served as Mayor of Villers-Bretonneux for two terms from 2008 until his death in 2020 from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in France. In April 1918, during World War I, Villers-Bretonneux was liberated from German occupation by the First Australian Imperial Force at the cost of an estimated 1,300 Australian lives.

Simon was awarded an honorary Order of Australia (AO) in 2015 for his advocacy on behalf of Australian-Franco relations, while the Australian press dubbed him "Australia's best friend in France." Most recently, Mayor Simon organized of a fundraiser for victims of the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season which raised approximately $37,000 AUD from Villers-Bretonneux's residents and school students by the end of February 2020.

Dr. Patrick Simon contracted COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in France in late March 2020 and was placed in intensive care for more than fifty days. Robinvale was named after Lieutenant Robin Cuttle, who was killed in action in Caix during the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux in 1918. Simon had visited Robinvale several times, most recently in October 2019, and developed close personal and professional relationships with the town's leaders.

The Sydney Morning Herald called Simon "Australia's staunchest supporter in France," while Seven News praised him as "a great friend of Australia, who worked tirelessly to honor the sacrifice of ANZAC."