Vietnam Medal : Warrant Officer Second Class R S Simpson, Australian Army Training Team Vietnam

Vietnam Medal. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Rayene Stewart 'Ray' or 'Simmo' Simpson was born in Redfern on 16 February 1926 to Robert William and Olga Maude (nee Montgomery) Simpson. He and his siblings were separated when he was placed in a children's home in Carlingford after the marriage ended about 1930. His early education was at Carlingford Public School. In the mid 1930s, Simpson was placed in the care of a First World War soldier-settler and his sister on a dairy farm near Taree, NSW. Here he attended the Dumaresq Island Public School.

Simpson enlisted in the Second AIF on 29 February 1944 at Newtown. On 2 June he was placed with 14 Infantry Training Battalion based at Cowra NSW and was part of a detachment sent to the Cowra prisoner of war camp on 5 August following a mass breakout by Japanese internees. Simpson later saw service in Morotai and Tarakan in 1945 before returning to Sydney in June 1946. He was discharged from the AIF on 20 January 1947.

On 17 January 1951, for reasons that are not clear, he enlisted in the Australian Regular Army using his brother's name and birth date. This was corrected by a Statutory Declaration on 31 May when he was posted to 1 Royal Australia Regiment (1RAR). On 20 June he was transferred to 3RAR reinforcements and joined the regiment in Korea on 9 July. He was promoted to lance corporal on 30 November 1951, corporal on 13 June 1953, and to sergeant on 1 July 1955.

After transferring to 2RAR in August 1954, Simpson served in Malaya until October 1957. After returning from Malaya, he transferred to 1 Special Air Service Company, remaining with the unit until July 1962. On 16 July, he commenced duty as a warrant officer with the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) arriving in Saigon on 3 August. His first tour of duty in Vietnam ended in July when he returned to Australia as an instructor at the Officer Cadet School, Southern Command.

In July 1964 Simpson rejoined the AATTV in Saigon for his second tour. He was posted to Danang as part of 'A' Team alongside United States and South Vietnamese Special Forces. Based at Kham Duc in the Quang Nam Province, Simpson was instrumental in the training and organisation of a new patrol base at Ta Ko, a rugged and remote village close to the Vietnamese/Laos border. For actions during fighting near Ta Ko on 16 September, Simpson was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Simpson was hospitalised for wounds suffered in the action and was not released from hospital until mid May 1965. He returned to Australia the following month and was discharged from the army at his own request in May 1966. He returned to Saigon at his own expense where, on 2 May 1967, he re-enlisted in the army. Initially a private, he was quickly re-instated to warrant officer within the AATTV. By May 1969, Simpson was commanding 232 Company, 3 Battalion of Mobile Strike Force Command. For his actions during fighting on 6 and 11 May in Kontum Province, near the Vietnam/Laos border, Simpson was awarded the Victoria Cross.

He was presented with his VC by Queen Elizabeth II at Government House in Sydney on 1 May 1970 and was discharged from the army four days later. In 1972 he took up an administrative position with the Australian Embassy in Tokyo. Simpson died in Japan on 18 October 1978. His VC and medals came into the Memorial's collection in 1981.