Black & grey issue wrist watch : Warrant Officer Class II R S Simpson, Australian Army Training Team Vietnam Accession Number: RELAWM40187

Description

US Army issue wrist watch with black face and white numerals. The number '12', the hands and twelve small triangles marking the hours have been marked with luminous paint. An inner ring of smaller numbers shows the twenty four hour clock. The hands have stopped at ten minutes to ten. The case is made of grey plastic and is marked on the reverse 'WRIST WATCH (NON-MAINTAINABLE) FED.STOCK NO. 6645-952-3767 MFG.PART NO. 11K11850 DATE: JUNE 1968'. The band is made of black woven synthetic material with a stainless steel buckle.

Contextual Description

This type of watch was widely issued to Australian troops during the Vietnam period and this particular example was worn by 217622 Warrant Officer Class II Rayene (Ray) Stewart Simpson, Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam during the action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. On 6 May 1969 Simpson was then serving in Kontum Province on the Laos/Cambodian border as commander of the 232nd Company of the Mobile Strike Force of the 5th Special Forces Group in a search and clear operation when the enemy was encountered in a series of action over six days. Simpson's leadership and bravery during these encounters earned him the Victoria Cross.