Rayene Stewart Simpson

Infobox Military Person
name= Rayene Stewart Simpson
born= birth date|1926|2|16
died= death date and age|1978|10|18|1926|2|16
placeofbirth= Chippendale, New South Wales
placeofdeath= Tokyo, Japan
placeofburial=


caption= Sergeant Rayene Stewart Simpson decorating a Christmas tree in Korea, 1953.
nickname= Ray
allegiance=Australia
branch=Australian Army
serviceyears= 1944–1947 1951–1966 1967–1970
rank= Warrant Officer Class II
commands=
battles=World War II
*Cowra breakout
Korean War Malayan Emergency Vietnam War
awards= Victoria Cross Distinguished Conduct Medal
laterwork=

Rayene Stewart Simpson VC, DCM (16 February1926 - 18 October1978) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life

Simpson was born in Chippendale, New South Wales and educated in Taree, New South Wales.

Military career

Simpson joined the Second Australian Imperial Force, 2/41st Infantry Battalion, on 15 March, 1944. He first saw service in Cowra as garrison reinforcements after the Cowra breakout.

Demobilized in January 1947, Simpson spent four years working in various jobs, before re-enlisting in 1951 for service in the Korean War with the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 30 November, 1951 and again to Corporal on 21 January, 1953. During this period he married Shoko Sakai, a Japanese citizen, on 5 March 1952.

He was posted to the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment in January 1954, where he was promoted to Sergeant in 1955. He served in Malaya with this unit for two years from October 1955. Simpson was next posted to 1st Special Air Service Company in November 1957 and served with that unit until selected as one of the initial group of advisers for the Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam (AATTV) who left by air for Vietnam in July 1962.

A year later he returned to the Special Air Service unit in Australia for twelve month's service before his second tour of duty with AATTV in Vietnam commenced in July 1964, where he was promoted to Warrant Officer II. During this second tour he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions when a patrol was ambushed at Tako on 16 September. Simpson, although severely wounded in the leg, held off the enemy while he called for assistance by radio. He and his men repelled several enemy assaults until help arrived, and none too soon as their ammunition had almost gone and Simpson was weak from loss of blood. He was evacuated by helicopter to the 6th Field Hospital at Nha Trang and he later convalesced at Tokyo.

On 16 May 1966 Simpson left the army for a second time, but re-enlisted in Saigon a year later for his third period of service with the AATTV, where he performed the actions for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Victoria Cross

He was 43 years old, and a Warrant Officer II in the Australian Army Training Team, Australian Forces during the Vietnam War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 6 May 1969 in the Kon Tum Province, Vietnam, Warrant Officer Class Two Simpson rescued a wounded fellow warrant Officer and carried out an unsuccessful attack on a strong enemy position. On 11 May he fought alone against heavy odds to cover the evacuation of a number of casualties.

For his actions in Vietnam, in addition to his Victoria Cross and Distinguished Conduct Medal, Ray Simpson was also awarded the US Silver Star and Bronze Star.

Later life

Simpson took his final discharge from the army in May 1970. In 1972 he took up a position as administrative officer at the Australian Embassy, Tokyo.

Rayene Stewart Simpson died of cancer in Tokyo on 18 October, 1978 and was buried at the Yokohama war cemetery, Japan.

His Victoria Cross and a portrait are displayed at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.

References

*The Last Eleven? (Mark Adkin, 1991)
*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

External links

* [http://www.aattv.iinet.net.au/simpson.htm WOII R.S. SIMPSON, VC, DCM] "(biography plus detailed action account)"