Horseshoe wedding charm with glitter : Mrs Irene Simper

Wooden horseshoe charm painted on the reverse in gold and covered on the front with silver metallic glitter. In the centre of the shoe are the voided words 'Best Wishes' in cursive script. A white satin ribbon used to suspend the shoe from the arm is threaded through the middle.

Good luck charm worn by Irene Simper on her wedding day. Irene met Sergeant Colin Douglas Simper at a dance held at Semaphore Beach, Adelaide on 13 April 1941. Simper, from Clarendon in Adelaide, was a blacksmith's striker by trade and had been serving with the 43/48 Battalion (a Militia unit) since May 1937 but transferred to the AIF at the outbreak of war. Before his posting to North Queensland with 2/43 Battalion, Irene and Colin were married at short notice at her family home in Blackwood on 12 December 1941. A two day honeymoon was granted to the newlyweds, on the condition Colin remain near a telephone. Colin was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 23 October 1943 and was transferred to the 2/48 Bn in August 1944. In late April 1945 he embarked for service on Tarakan and was severely wounded on 7 June. He died of his wounds two days later and was buried at the Tarakan War Cemetery. He left behind his wife and two small children, Eleanor born in August 1943 and Douglas born December 1944.