Sweetheart pendant : Mrs I Simper

Small heart shaped white metal pendant. In the middle is a raised and enamelled 'T' shaped colour patch of the 2/48 Battalion. The patch is blue with a grey border made from the base metal and a white centre section.

Sweetheart pendant sent to Irene Simper by her husband Lieutenant Colin Douglas Simper. Irene met Simper, when he was a sergeant, at a dance held at Semaphore Beach, Adelaide on 13 April 1941. Simper, from Clarendon in Adelaide, was a blacksmith's striker by trade and had served with 43/48 Battalion (a Militia unit) from May 1937, but transferred to the AIF at the outbreak of war. Before his posting to North Queensland with 2/43 Battalion, Irene and Colin were married at short notice at her family home in Blackwood on 12 December 1941. A two day honeymoon was granted to the newlyweds, on the condition Colin remain near a telephone. Colin was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 23 October 1943 and was transferred to the 2/48 Bn in August 1944. In late April 1945 he embarked for service on Tarakan and was severely wounded on 7 June. He died of his wounds two days later and was buried at the Tarakan War Cemetery. He left behind his wife and two small children, Eleanor born in August 1943 and Douglas born December 1944.