Warrant Officer Class 2 Rayene Stewart (Ray) Simpson VC, DCM

Service Number: 217622 (NX203334), 2/4492, 24492; 217622

Description

Rayene Stewart Simpson, or Ray, was born in Sydney on 16 February 1926. Separated from his siblings when his mother disappeared in 1931, Ray was placed in an orphanage, the Church of England Home for Boys, in Carlingford, NSW. Having left school aged 12, Ray was working as a labourer outside Taree, NSW, when the Second World War began in 1939. Too young to enlist, he waited five years, joining the army just four weeks after his 18th birthday. He enlisted in March 1944 and served on Morotai, Tarakan, and Rabaul. Re-enlisting, he served in Korea and Malaya. In 1962 he was sent to Vietnam. During a second tour there in 1964, he was wounded and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Discharged, he re-enlisted for a final tour.

An outstanding soldier, on 6 and 11 May 1969, in the Kontum province, Simpson was commanding local Montagnards when the leading platoon came under heavy fire. He ran under fire to a wounded Australian adviser and carried him to safety. He then covered the company's withdrawal, still carrying his mate. On a second occasion, he organised the rescue of wounded men trapped by enemy fire, placing himself between them and the enemy until they could withdraw.

Simpson left the army in 1970; he was the longest-serving member of the AATTV. He died in Tokyo, where he had settled with his Japanese wife.

Simpson was awarded the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Conduct Medal, service medals for the Second World War, Korea, Malaya and Vietnam, the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, and the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Details

First name/s

Rayene Stewart (Ray)

Last name

Simpson

Service Number

217622 (NX203334), 2/4492, 24492; 217622

Final rank

Warrant Officer Class 2

Date of Birth

16/02/1926

Place of Birth

Chippendale

Date of Death

18/10/1978

Place of Death

Tokyo

Ranks held

Conflicts

Units

Service

Places

Tags and Groups

Rolls

Roll Type	Unit	Rank	Conflict
Honours and Awards	Australian Army Training Team Vietnam	Warrant Officer Class 2	Vietnam, 1962-1975
Honours and Awards	Australian Army Training Team Vietnam	Warrant Officer Class 2	Vietnam, 1962-1975
Malayan Emergency Rolls and Awards Registers	2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment	Temporary Sergeant	Malayan Emergency, 1948-1960

Gazettes

Commonwealth Gazette

4 November 1965
28 August 1969

London Gazette

29 October 1965
29 August 1969

Other references

Biographical information They dared mightily. in 1963

Warrant Officer Class 2 Rayene Stewart (Ray) Simpson VC, DCM

LES/69/0544/VN

Timeline

16/02/1926: Date of birth
15/03/1944: 41st/2nd Infantry Battalion.
01/1947: Demobilised.
1951: Re-enlisted to serve in Korea with 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment.
01/1954: Posted to 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment.
10/1955: Served with 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment in Malaya for two years.
08/10/1955: Date of departure
31/10/1957: Date of return
11/1957: 1st Special Air Service Company.
1962-07-29 - 1963-07-17: AATTV 2nd tour of duty Vietnam.
1963: 1st Special Air Service Company.
1964-07-29 - 1964-10-20: AATTV 2nd tour of duty Vietnam.
16/09/1964: Awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal for actions when a patrol was ambushed at Tako whilst serving with AATTV on his second tour of duty.
16/09/1964: Severly wounded in leg during action for which he was awarded DCM.
16/05/1966: Date of discharge
1967-05-02 - 1970-04-09: AATTV 3rd tour of duty.
1967: Re-enlisted in Saigon.
1969-05-06 - 1969-05-11: Awarded Victoria Cross for action at Kontum province, Vietnam whilst serving with Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam as a Warrant Officer Class II.
18/10/1978: Date of death