Ray Simpson

Warrant Officer Class II Rayene Stewart “Ray” Simpson, VC, DCM

Rayene Stewart Simpson was one of Australia’s great professional soldiers: a hard, unconventional, battle-tested warrant officer whose career stretched from the final year of the Second World War to the height of the Vietnam War. Born in Sydney on 16 February 1926, he had a difficult childhood after being separated from his family and placed in a boys’ home. He left school early, worked as a labourer, and enlisted in the Australian Army as soon as he was old enough.

Simpson first joined the Army in March 1944. During the Second World War he served in the South-West Pacific, including Morotai, Tarakan and Rabaul. After demobilisation in 1947, he worked a series of civilian jobs before re-enlisting in 1951 for service in Korea with 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. He later served with 2 RAR in Malaya, joined the original 1st Special Air Service Company, and became one of the early members of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam.

In Vietnam, Simpson found the role for which he became famous. AATTV members were advisers, trainers and field leaders, often operating in small teams alongside South Vietnamese forces, U.S. Special Forces and other allied units. Simpson served three tours in Vietnam, beginning in 1962, 1964 and 1967. The DVA describes him as fearless, fiercely loyal, and one of only four Australians awarded the Victoria Cross during the Vietnam War.

His first major Vietnam gallantry award was the Distinguished Conduct Medal. On 16 September 1964, while on patrol near Tako, his force was ambushed. Simpson was badly wounded in the leg, but he rallied the patrol, used his radio to call for help, and held the position through repeated enemy assaults until assistance arrived. The action was recognised as a display of exceptional leadership and courage under fire.

Five years later came the actions that earned him the Victoria Cross. On 6 May 1969, Simpson was commanding the 232nd Mobile Strike Force Company in Kontum Province, near the Laotian border, when one of his platoons became heavily engaged. He moved to the front, led an assault against the enemy flank, rescued a wounded Australian warrant officer under heavy fire, and then crawled forward close enough to throw grenades into enemy positions. On 11 May, during the same operation, he again exposed himself to intense enemy fire to cover the evacuation of wounded men.

Victoria Cross citation summary

The official VC citation states that Simpson repeatedly placed himself in the open under heavy fire, rescued wounded men, attempted to recover his killed battalion commander, and personally stood between the wounded and the enemy to cover their withdrawal. It concluded that his “conspicuous gallantry was in the highest tradition of the Australian Army.”

Queen Elizabeth II presented Simpson with his Victoria Cross at Government House, Sydney, on 1 May 1970. His gallantry was also recognised by the United States with the Silver Star and Bronze Star for actions in Vietnam.

Simpson left the Army in 1970 after a career that had taken him through World War II, Korea, Malaya and Vietnam. He later lived in Tokyo with his wife, Shoko, and worked in an administrative post at the Australian Embassy. He died of cancer in Tokyo on 18 October 1978, aged 52, and is buried in the Yokohama Commonwealth War Cemetery.