| Place | Oceania: Australia |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL38082.002 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Uniform |
| Physical description | Aluminium, Cotton sateen, Wool felt |
| Maker |
Stokes Unknown |
| Place made | Australia: Victoria, Melbourne |
| Date made | Unknown |
| Conflict |
Period 1960-1969 |
Mess waistcoat : Captain M T Turrell, Royal Australian Infantry Corps
Description
The waistcoat has a red wool felt front, and is backed with black cotton sateen, and lined with cream cotton sateen. There are two small fob pockets on the hips, and the waistcoat is fastened at the front with four gilded aluminium buttons. The buttons have a map of Australia on them, surmounted by St Edwards Crown. The back of the buttons has the maker's name impressed ' STOKES MELB'.
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 of the 28th Commonwealth Brigade, Turrell commanded 11 Platoon, D Company, 2 RAR, conducting patrols of the 'Black Zone' on the Malay -Thailand border from 1962 to 1963. This was aimed at suppressing continued Communist Terrorists (CT) activity in the region. Turrell was promoted to captain and in May 1966, he 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.