Ray Simpson (VC)

Rayene Stewart "Ray" Simpson VC, DCM (16 February 1926 – 18 October 1978) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces.

Early life
Rayene Stewart Simpson was born on 16 February 1926 at Redfern, Sydney, third child of New South Wales-born parents Robert William Simpson, labourer, and his wife Olga Maude, née Montgomery. Olga deserted her husband and children about 1931. Ray was separated from his siblings and placed in the Church of England Home for Boys, Carlingford. Educated at a local school and at Dumaresq Island Public School, Taree, he worked as a labourer.

Military career
Simpson joined the Second Australian Imperial Force, 41st/2nd Infantry Battalion, a militia battalion that served as a holding unit for soldiers under 19 years of age, on 15 March 1944. With this battalion, he was posted to Cowra as part of the Prisoner of War camp garrison after the Cowra breakout. He was subsequently posted to the 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion.

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.

Simpson was posted to the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment in January 1954, where he was promoted to sergeant in 1955. He served in the Malaya with this unit for two years from October 1955. Simpson was next posted to 1st Special Air Service (SAS) 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 SAS in Australia for twelve months' service before his second tour of duty with AATTV in Vietnam commenced in July 1964, where he was promoted to Warrant Officer Class 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 was 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 Class 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 Victoria Cross.

On 6 May 1969, in the Kon Tum Province, Vietnam, Warrant Officer Class II 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 United States 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.