Pair of Mess tins : Captain M T Turrell, Royal Australian Infantry Corps, Royal Australian Regiment

Places
Accession Number REL38110
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Personal Equipment
Physical description Aluminium
Maker Unknown
Date made Unknown
Conflict Malayan Emergency, 1948-1960
Vietnam, 1962-1975
Description

Pair of aluminium rectangular mess tins each with a hinged, two piece metal handle designed to fold around the outside of the tin for compact storage. One tin is smaller than the other and is stored in the larger tin.

History / Summary

Born in Sydney on 19 January 1938, Maxwell Thomas Turrell was educated at Crows Nest Intermediate Boys High School and North Sydney Boys Technical High School. At both schools he served in the School Cadets, attaining the rank of cadet lieutenant. Turrell enlisted in the Australian Army in 1956, graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon.

In 1961, in the wake of the Malayan Emergency, Lieutenant Turrell served in Malaya with 2 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (RAR). Operating as part the 28th Commonwealth Brigade, Turrell commanded 11 Platoon, D Company, 2 RAR in conducting patrols the 'Black Zone' on the Malay -Thailand border, aimed at suppressing continued Communist Terrorists (CT) activity in the region in 1962 and 1963. In May 1966 Captain Turrell was deployed to South Vietnam as adjutant of 6 RAR. Following his service in the Vietnam War, Turrell was promoted to Major and appointed Officer Commanding 2nd Army Recruiting Unit. Major Turrell served in the Army until his discharge in 1981.