SAS imposter rumbled

[guidedweapons]

BBC NEWS | England | Cornwall | SAS impersonator faces the boot (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7737918.stm)

silly bugger!

[Jumping_Jack]

Found out when he wrote to the MOD......didn't he think they would check? What a knobber......:ugh:

[Mister-T]

What a nosher.

I wonder how common this type of wannabe actually is?

[airborne_artist]

I wonder how common this type of wannabe actually is?

I've never come across a Walt of his age, but trust me, there are more Walts claiming service in 21/23 than you can imagine :ugh:

[denis555]

Is it really true you are excused being a Walt if you can get your leg over because of it?

[teeteringhead]

denis

that's according to the Waltfinder General on ARRSE .... prolly not a factor in this case.

There's an amazing anti-Walt website dealing (mostly) with ANZACs, can't find the address just now - they've had a number prosecuted for (mostly Vietnam) walting. Incredibly, some even published (fictional) memoirs. Mind you, having read Pablo's published tales form NI ........

Edited to add:

Found the site here. (http://www.anzmi.net/cases.html) There are some (almost) incredible tales to read about .......

[preduk]

When I was a guliable cadet a number of years ago serving with my local air training corp we had an instructor exactly like this...

Told everyone in the cadets that he was ex-RAF regiment who had then joined the TA Paras, most of my officers were all non-military guys so didn't really know much.

My dad was on leave from the army and came to pick me up one night when he got talking to the guy about who he had served with. My dad, being a para at the time, asked him about the paras when he admitted he had actually served with either the rations or signals TA squadrons as well as the RAF Regiment.

Anyway... Me and my dad were down at a local TA Base and got talking to the RSM about general stuff when he asked about the instructor.

Turned out he had failed RAF selection joined the TA where he was later kicked out of for being a lazy b*****d

[tonker]

We have a Captain who claims he was not only a Tornado pilot but a war hero to boot. Turns out he was a Tornado instructor, but actually only flew in the back of one once. A CRM nightmare and general weirdo, loathed by the cabin crew and nearly all F/O's at my airline. He still thinks we think his stories about JP233 etc are for real.:\

[denis555]

Shame!

Biggest Walt I have heard of was a guy who was head honcho at a very big US Software company ( no prizes ) about 10 years ago.

Said he was a US Marine pilot , saved a buddy by throwing a grenade out of a trench, ruptured his eardrums ejecting from a Phantom.

All b*ll*cks - he was an air traffic controller.

Trouble was he 'Walted' to everyone for years until the Wall Street Journal decided to investigate.

It was bloody... why do they do it.???

[Long Drop]

Sure that wasn't the Walt St Journal.

[barnstormer1968]

Thanks for the link.

I must admit it always took me by surprise just how many walts there were in my old Squadron. ......At least one bloke in each troop actually claimed to be a cook:}

[dead_pan]

Work with a guy who claims to been special forces during GW1. An inveterate bullsh*tter - can't even walk up the stairs without getting out of breath (probably puts it down to Gulf War syndrome but never bothered to ask). Always wondered if there was a way of exposing him....

[Al R]

I wonder if we get any bull****ters posting on here?

[The Helpful Stacker]

Is there no way the MoD could impose intellectual rights over military medals issued by the crown to stop these companies that supply walts being able to assist their lies?
Or perhaps insisting that all who attempt to buy medals attain proof of entitlement from the medals office?
That said, when on TSW I was asked more than once by younger airmen if they could borrow my swinging tin as they were going to a wedding and wanted to impress the easily impressed young ladies with 'their' medals so perhaps thats all walts really do it for. Oh and no, I've never let anyone use my medals other than my daughter for a show and tell this year at school during the week running up to Armistice Day and proud as punch she was too. At 5 years old I was impressed at that she remembered what they were for, although she did repeat an off-hand remark I made to my wife whilst explaining what they were to my daughter that the GSM NI was for watching MTV on a damp hill in Ulster!

[Trojan1981]

That site is gold! There are so many of them. I used to wear my ribbons on my current uniform (no longer military). I copped so many bullsh!t stories from people claiming to be ex SAS (Australian) and even one bloke claiming to be an ex British clearance diver(he was fat and diabetic, and not that old), that I stopped wearing them.

[Karl Bamforth]

Once met a guy who told me all about how he was at Lockerby shortly after the crash. He knew what he was talking about right down to the names of guys involved in a fatal car accident.

Thing is he was never there...... He was claiming to be part of the team I was on. It was only a small team of 10-12 ppl and he wasn't part of it.

When I pointed out he wasn't there and I knew it, he started back peddaling like mad. I told him what I thought of him and havn't seen him since.

[preduk]

Karl who were you serving with at the time? I've got a relative who was at Lockerby during it.

[Karl Bamforth]

I was on 33 Sqdn.

We operated from the school for a short while then moved to a caravan in a field.
I will never forget the generosity of the locals. We returned from operations on more than one occasion to find beer and food waiting for us. Almost impossible to buy a beer or food anywhere, the locals insisted on feeding and watering us free. I was quite embaressed when I got my watch repaired and I wasn't even allowed to pay for that.

[ShyTorque]

Lockerby? That's in Canada isn't it - what crash happened there?

[aviate1138]

Pedant alert! :rolleyes:

Lockerbie - perhaps?

Like most place names and people names, there are local variations. Or maybe Lockerby is the 'new english what is spoke, like'. :)

[denis555]

I wonder if we get any bull****ters posting on here?


Do you mean me?

Never been in the forces at all - apart from the Air Cadets ( did I tell you about their role in the Embassy Siege? But I can't cos it's secret *shhh* )

I only come on this forum because the banter is so good.:}

[6Z3]

Mitty, Mittie, it's all the same really; just like Sqn and Sqdn;)

[Al R]

Denis said: Do you mean me?

Never been in the forces at all - apart from the Air Cadets ( did I tell you about their role in the Embassy Siege? But I can't cos it's secret *shhh* )

I only come on this forum because the banter is so good.http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/badteeth.gif

No, I didn't mean you - and I agree about the craic, there are some funny exchanges. I suppose you're referring to the Iranian Embassy siege, right? Ok, thats the one that everyone knows about :rolleyes:, but there was another one that had a news blackout. My ATC Sqn was called in for that particular job but if you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about it here.

[Flight Detent]

...always wondered...

Someone I know that served as a ground crew tech in a flying squadron in Australia...

they deployed to the Phillipines for a couple of weeks during the time Vietnam was in full swing...

he had a pilot friend that agreed to take him on a navex flight out over the South China Sea, for a joy ride.
This squadron never played any part in the war in Vietnam.

The flight went as planned and they all returned non the worse.

Many years later, around '95, the pilot friend contacted this person and advised him that according to the flight records of that day some 20 years earlier, they had actually flown through the Sth Vietnamese FIR during that navex!

To cut this story short, they both claimed active service in Vietnam and were awarded the medal(s) by the Australian Dept of Vetrans Affairs, AND both have also been given vetrans pensions AND both have got Gold Cards for their medical expenses. (remember, neither one has ever even seen Vietnam, let alone been there!), and this person now also marches on Anzac Day!

See, officially they are not pretenders because the government has agreed they are vets, so the law wouldn't apply here I would have thought - even though they are actually pretenders in every other way!

As an ex-serviceman myself, this continues to rub me the wrong way!

[tonker]

If it's going to be that vague, i really was a test pilot for Airfix models afterall(most of which crashed due to poor gluing,props on the wrong way, every weapon supplied glued under wings etc):}

[Wader2]

Our cadet officer did war service in the RA Heavy Anti-Aircraft. He was no walt though. His war record was well known in the rumour mill that he had only shot down one aircraft during the war.

A Spitfire!

I should have said, he was a flt lt RAFVRT and had been a sgt.

[anotherthing]

Mr Cattell's deception came to light when he sent a photo of himself wearing false medals to the RAF with a request for a replacement military baton
it all makes sense now...

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/2610938/2/istockphoto_2610938_baton_of_bread.jpg
He was a cook in the National Service after all.

[Gainesy]

Did I ever tell you about hurting my ankle in a daring solo jump fom a Herc?

If you leave out the bit about it being on chocks at Akrotiri.....:)

[Tiger_mate]

I was at Lockerbie first thing, yet know nothing of a fatal car crash until I read this thread. But why should I? I had a job to do and got on with it, & thankfully en-route back to the Emerald Isle before 1pm on day one. The only circumstance when one would look forward to going to Ulster to improve your quality of life.

Have to agree with comments about the excellent hospitality of the locals, and their nemesis the Press. I was asked by a photographer to "Look sad" for a photo: He got the finger; and his colleaques thought the nightsun was a techno gadget for quickly establishing life or death.

Notwithstanding my contribution to this thread, those that "have" usually do not feel the need to talk about it; therefore those that "discuss" more often than not have a good imagination.

[angels]

I've mentioned this on another thread, but as a cook, surely he killed more men than most SAS chaps?

[camlobe]

tonker wrote:

"We have a Captain who claims he was not only a Tornado pilot but a war hero to boot. Turns out he was a Tornado instructor, but actually only flew in the back of one once. A CRM nightmare and general weirdo, loathed by the cabin crew and nearly all F/O's at my airline. He still thinks we think his stories about JP233 etc are for real.http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/wibble.gif"

In all seriousness, this sounds rather like my brother. Is 'your' Captain flying 777's for the worlds favourite? Or is there another walt out there with similar credentials?

camlobe

[cornish-stormrider]

:Eaccording to Arrse, who are the guvnor's in this. there are several million men out there, one in each pub in the land who were on that balcony in Prince's Gate.

They couldn't have all been there, the weight would have collapsed the building.

I once met a walt........it was scary, he was supposedly '5' and had done, and I quote verbatim "Rivet Jumps" from the belly hatch of a herc. I asked him why they called them rivet jumps and he said it was because they were so close the banged their jump hats on the skin and could count the rivets. He had also been slotted with a Barrett .50 and was proficient in all manner of stuff.

I didn't destroy his illusions as I figured that a goth loner with few friends needs all the help he can get. His walting got found out later on anyway....


How sad they are.

When I was in the engine bay during desert fox etc etc etc, we had lots of time for sport and drinking.:E

[tonker]

No not in BA. Should have said he was a Tornado "Simulator" Instructor.

Letching round the cabin crew like some 70's throwback perv. Makes them feel very awkward and we get some "please come and rescue me from this ****" looks.

Had a boss once who claimed he was on the "hill" at Farnborough when Derry crashed! He was born in 1965:\ Couldn't be bothered to tell him i knew, and ended up shagging his secretary when he went on yet another futile climbing expedition. She was great;)

[Shack37]

Back in the swingin' sixties when the Kooba krisis was on, one of the St. Mawgan squadrons (201) was put on standby to get down there and head off the baddies. In the end they didn't actually go but, as I was at St. M at the time on 206 which is not far away from 201 can I claim anything. Would that make me a Walt? I think I should be told!

[BEagle]

Letching round the cabin crew like some 70's throwback perv.

And an ex-Tornado sim instructor?

Would that captain be with Net Jets, perchance?

[ianp]

Drifting back to the original story I wonder why this chap, while claiming to have been in the SAS, went to the RAF for a baton?

[CirrusF]

I've mentioned this on another thread, but as a cook, surely he killed more men than most SAS chaps?


True - and bear in mind army chef training is far harder than SAS selection. Nobody has yet passed the course.

[preduk]

I've mentioned this on another thread, but as a cook, surely he killed more men than most SAS chaps?
True - and bear in mind army chef training is far harder than SAS selection. Nobody has yet passed the course

Ha that cracked me up...

They deserve it though, how dare they feed me that horrible, greasy fried bread.

[cazatou]

My Father passed the Course in 1940 - mind you; he had an incentive.

Failure would have meant a return to the Pioneer Corps and his role in case of Invasion. This, quite simply, was - in the event of a NAZI Invasion - to run unarmed down onto the Beach and throw himself across our barbed wire so that our Forces could run across his body to counter-attack.

He later considered the Parachute Regt - but the Recruiting Officers were a Major Pine-Coffin and a Capt Blood.

[dead_pan]

Do you mean me?

Never been in the forces at all - apart from the Air Cadets ( did I tell you about their role in the Embassy Siege? But I can't cos it's secret *shhh* )

I only come on this forum because the banter is so good.


Have already 'fessed up on this forum as to my absence of military service, medals, war wounds etc. I did meet Douglas Bader once though (when I say met, it was more passing in a crowd, when I say passing in a crowd...)

[MAINJAFAD]

Well he isn't telling porkys about an officer called Pine-Coffin in the Para's. He was the CO of 7 Para (Richard Todd's unit) when they reinforced the coup de main attack on the Pegasus and Horsa Bridges on the morning of D-day.

[Riskman]

I did meet Douglas Bader once though (when I say met, it was more passing in a crowd, when I say passing in a crowd...

My mother-in-law danced with DB once.

She stood on his foot and then asked if he was alright :ugh:

[Wiley]

I scanned through the Oz imposter's site with some trepidation, half expecting to find my own name there, for some could be forgiven for thinking me a Walt thanks to our old mates, the journos.

I submitted a piece on Anzac Day to an Oz newspaper one April, written in the third person, where a veteran of a much later war visits Anzac Cove for the 25th April celbrations and "sees" the ghosts of the veterans of WW1 and of wars a lot older than that, more or less trying to point out that wars have been with us since the year dot and it wasn't likely that was ever going to change. (Anyone interested, [I'm sure there are none], will find said piece in its original form buried very deeply in the Ppprune archives.)

Only problem was, the newspaper, without consulting moi, changed the piece to the first person and published it with me apparently giving myself a service history I do not and have never claimed to possess. I went ballistic when I saw what they published, but St Augustine and his pillow full of feathers comes to mind - once you've scattered them in the streets, you're never going to get 'em all back, and I'm sure there are a few out there who are convinced I was pulling a Walt in apparently saying I'd done things they know I never did.

[Darwinism]

AI R wrote, "I wonder if we get any bull****ters posting on here?"

Thanks AI R - it's taken me half an hour to try to dry the coffee out of keyboard!:ok:

[MrBunker]

We've got a right belter who claims all manner of military achievements. Reds, the lot. Never in a month of Sundays. CRM semtex too.

[fade to grey]

Aviation attracts bullshi**ers like honey attracts bees.....
When I was an instructor at cabair , this guy turned up for a trial lesson claiming to be a tornado pilot "recuperating" after ejecting from said aircraft and banging his head (shades of goose there).He said he was from 214 sqdn at st mawgan (eh ?you what?) and sounded like a romford scrap metal dealer.Long story short -he wasn't of course and the police rang us up to say he nicked all his girlfriend's cash ,claiming to be learning to fly, and legged it.

More recently the stewardess' boyfriend who was variously an A4 pilot, a 744 pilot, a mercenary etc etc.......

What is wrong with these people....be who you are.

[Al R]

Darwinism wrote: Thanks AI R - it's taken me half an hour to try to dry the coffee out of keyboard!http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/thumbs.gif


I know, perish the thought eh?

Someone mentioned cooks earlier on.

5ive said: Combat Chefs (Documentary)

Wednesday 26th November 20:00 - 21:00 .

Documentary series that profiles the men and women responsible for feeding the 120,000 British troops stationed overseas. From battlefield to banquet hall, the combat chefs are charged with the task of making hearty meals every day, whatever the weather and whatever the situation. In this instalment, soldiers at the front line in Afghanistan get a rare culinary treat, and the heat is on for the army chefs at a cookery competition in Germany.

[MrBunker]

And we've got a Longhaul purser who had name badges made up saying he was a pilot. Not sure his missus was all that impressed. ;)

[chuks]

I was talking with a fellow pilot once when the subject of Kigali, Rwanda came up. He told me "I used to go in there all the time with Sabena on 707s," when I had only flown in once with a little Cessna 404.

He forgot to tell me he was down the back serving the coffee!

[Kite Runner]

C'mon guys.

How many out there weren't in the Red Arrows in a Lincoln bar or club in their early days. I know I was. Didn't work much. However, being a dog handler in the RAFP was a far more successful ploy! Something about having to feed a puppy all through the night - exposes the soft side in the oppo sex.

Sad thing is I'm embarrassed to tell you what I am doing now!

[Champagne Anyone?]

We have a pair of walts in our local.
One professes to be ex Marine Reserves/TA he can never make his mind up.

The other has been in SAS, a mercenary, US special forces, a hells angel, then different professions, bouncer, Police liaison to the traffic dept on how the police should conduct Motorcycle duties, HGV convoy driver/outrider, a DOT Driving examiner, Head game keeper for the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire, he once took a trial lesson in a cesspit 150 but now says he was taught in the SAS to fly ALL aircraft! He was in the Paras, has done well over 200 jumps and has jumped more times into battle than anyone else with Para Wings... Oh and he was in one skirmish in Aden when the SAS were pinned down and he alone saved the day.

When I pointed out that the particular battle he was referring to was in 1964 and he would have been 11 he went rather quite.

A couple of weeks ago, he was on a shoot where I was doing some beating and a couple of formations of Harriers came over rather low and quickly. Apart from saying they were lucky his reactions were that quick otherwise he would have shot them down, he and his mate then went on to tell us all that they were MK6 and Mk 10 Harriers... Navy ones!! He could tell because they were grey.....

How we fell apart laughing!! They didnt realise what the joke was....

[preduk]

Ask him what colour the Hereford Boathouse is.

[Wiley]

It's certainly not limited to aviation. I was in London back in 1969 and doing my best to get the leg over with a young American lady of the Jewish persuasion. One night she and her girlfriend (of similar persuasions) insisted on going to an Israeli restaurant on the other side of London that served "real Israeli food". (And of course, ever hopeful, we all tagged along.)

There I learned two things.

(a) Why the Israli Army is so damned good. (Answer: their soldiers are all trying to make it to the decent food on offer in [pick your Arab capital]'s shwarma stands.) The Israeli food, if the "real Israeli food" on offer at that particular "Israeli" London restaurant was anything to go by, is something worth fighting for - to get away from.

And

(b) That Isareli armoured vehicles have incredibly large turrets and multiple commanders. Both these facts must be so, judging by the number of half-pissed young men at the bar in that restaurant that night who claimed to have been the commander of the lead tank into Damascus in the Six Day War of June 1966. It didn't seem polite at the time to remind any of them that as far as we knew, no Israeli tank got anywhere near Damascus in that particular war.

[BEagle]

Yes, yes, yes......

But did you get a DCO?

[Utrinque Apparatus]

Oh all right then, I confess to exercising my droite de seigneur with a young lady (as permitted under section 5, ARSSE declaration, sub para 4, bul****ters prerogative) by claiming to have been involved in the Iranian Embassy siege. I told her that McAleese et al had been awarded all sorts of gongs, including the QGM and when she asked me what I got, I told her, ............thirty years ! Salaam Alaikum wa rahmatullah wa hy wa barakatuh :E:}

[St Johns Wort]

Anybody remember Aldergroves own 'Dark Shadow'?:hmm:

[The Helpful Stacker]

No, but I remember a young officer on FLS at Aldergrove who was so excited about new cloak and dagger role supporting TSW in Ulster that he forgot to do his Gucci, self-purchased, pistol holster up properly leading to it falling out from under his jacket in McDonalds in Belfast.
He was also the chap who decided to leave a van full of lads unattended/protected in Newry whilst he be the other FLS popped to the post office.

Edit:

[parabellum]

All young and newly appointed officers need to be watched over and guided by their senior NCOs. The young officer has been thrust into a position of authority but has no or little relevant experiance and it is the duty of the NCOs to guide him accordingly if the need arises, if the YO attempts something that isn't in the best interests of the rest of the unit it should be pointed out to him. And should I add :E?

[FlapJackMuncher]

My wife used to work as a chiropodist in Derbyshire.
One of her fellow foot-fondlers was your typical smooth talking ladies man, having an affair with another corn-flake.
He was a part-time member of the SAS, honest.
He once turned up at this girlfriends house having smeared engine oil on his face - he hadn't had time to clean himself up after that nights training.

Mind you i used to work with Ozzy Osbourne's roadie, tuning guitars and everything before he went on stage. I'm sure he was ex special forces as well.

[Dengue_Dude]

I once ate the whole contents of an RAF Lyneham Lumpy box -

Salmonella on a stick (chicken leg to the uninitiated)
Growler (pork pie - usually only on weekend SKE flights)
Lark's vomit sandwich (sandwich spread)
Dairylea and crackers
Mars bar (had to take that home or face the wrath of a 3 year old)
All washed down with a tea made by Pete Tyas.

Now can I tell war stories, pleeeeeeze, can I huh??

[airborne_artist]

Ask him what colour the Hereford Boathouse is.

And then ask him if he's beaten the Hereford clock...

[Utrinque Apparatus]

AA

Tee Hee ! (Walt's probably think it's a euphemism for personal gratification ?)

Everyone knows the boathouse is Chemstone / Desert Pink, like everything else on the inventory ! (New motto of the Regiment - Who Cares Who Wins By Strength and Guile ????) :}

[Doctor Cruces]

Had a complete Walt in an airline I worked for. Cabin crew wallah.

Swore blind he was a Gulf War 1 hero. Listened to his stories with an internal smile.

Used all the right words straight from Andy McNab's books. Told me how he "tabbed" all the way from central Iraq to the Syrian border, fearful of being "slotted" at every turn and how he "slotted" several Iraquis in the back of a truck in order to be able to get past it.

Fortunately I'd read the same books that he had and I just thought "tosser" instead of the "WOW" he was hoping for. Naturally I was cautioned about talking about it for security reasons.

They're all over the place, beware!!

Doc C

:):)

[BEagle]

I once ate the whole contents of an RAF Lyneham Lumpy box
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Internet/zxzxz.jpg

Gutsiest move I ever saw, Dude.

Walt alert - one of the satellite TV channels (History or somesuch) had an 'SAS Sunday' yesterday. Fascinating inside information about the Iranian Embassy siege, but a vast store of Walt-fodder....:suspect:

[airborne_artist]

Tuesday 25th Nov 21.00 on C5 Five Online : Programme Description for Special Forces Heroes (Documentary) (http://www.mydigiguide.com/dgx/wbl.dll?a=6&h=49&PID=24958) - about the siege of Mirbat. Sek/Tak Takavesi was injured in Iraq fairly recently working as a security contractor.

More on him here (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/3363376/Special-Forces-stories-from-behind-enemy-lines.html)

[The Helpful Stacker]

Pah, Lyneham Lumpy bag? I once gave an Iraqi an aircraft chock (cornish pasty) from a Basrah horror bag, I'm still on the run for that particular war crime.
(Menshed, if you are still alive and reading this do you forgive me?)

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

Walt Alert - Walt Alert,

That story is so obviously totally fictional THS, come on now do you seriously expect us to believe that you actually supplied someone with something......................................utter bollox if you ask me :E

[barnstormer1968]

Some time back I watched two programmes about your old gang, one used veterans to tell the story of what they did (but don't think it was SAS soldiers story), and one episode had a veteran talking about a river ambush he carried out in Borneo, Indonesia or Malaya (can't remember). He was actually on the river bank as he told his story, which I thought was quite good (unless someone else knew why he was being filmed and had an old grudge to settle)

The other programme was hosted by Nick Frost, and featured (possibly) Peter Macaleese performing an abseil down the front of a building, during which he messed it up and broke off the guttering.
Got any ideas on either one?
The first was fairly educational, while the second (as with much of Nick Frost's work, was pretty comical.

[Utrinque Apparatus]

AA,

And not one VC due to "D" notice, non war status of Oman in the heady days. Shabby.

[West Coast]

I once kept the southern border of the US free from the hoardes of invading Mexicans. I was armed only with a six pack and three MRE's. I held my ground till the MRE's made me constipated and I had to leave.

I think I saw beag's trying to scale the fence, shot him in the arse with a BB gun.

[denis555]

In a west end pub waiting to see the football with a mate.

Old boy sits near us and 'somehow' mentions he was an ex RSM in the Argylls - fair enough. Being curious and up for a story we ask him where he'd been with them. Korea, Malaya etc etc...

Then he says he's a bit short of cash to get home - could we buy these 1st class stamps off of him so he can get back? He shows us 20 '1st class' stamps - says he wants £5 for them - bargain!

In the dingy pub he had pointed out what looked like a '1st' figure on the stamp - the next day we found that the figure was actually '1p'!

So the old bugger had sold us 20p worth of stamps for £5!!!

We were the donkey's that day...

[alwayzinit]

Many moons ago having got bethrothed to my domestic manager I met her new step father, who my nagger in law was totally besotted with.

Bold as brass this fella starts on about how he was in the Paras during the Suez Crisis, driving his tank through Cairo??:confused:

Being a kind and gentle soul I said that that must have been amazing and ........when was that ?

1959:ugh:

My roast tatty at that point ejected itself out of my right nostril:eek:.

He is still with us blissfully unaware that all who know him know, as he walters away playing the guitar with Eric Clapton etc etc

Bless:ok:

[ArthurR]

CirrusF you state

True - and bear in mind army chef training is far harder than SAS selection. Nobody has yet passed the course.

Not true, in the early 70's I was on a freefall course (sports) at Netheravon, and as the base was Army Air Corps. We had to use their mess. I can distinctly remember passing one course several times the same day and a couple of times the next :E

[Dengue_Dude]

The Walt ex-SAS guy actually deserves a medal.

Seldom have I enjoyed a thread so much on Prune - 'ah I love the smell of cynicism in the morning'.

There is SO little back-biting on this thread - but there again, with the quality of the grub, it's only exercising Health and Safety at Work sops.

Sorry guys, I'm off out to spend my 2.5% VAT!

[BentStick]

Punk student on University Challenge is a dead ringer for Vyvyan from The Young Ones | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1089279/Punk-student-University-Challenge-dead-ringer-Vyvyan-The-Young-Ones.html)

"We informally advised the student concerned that it could be an offence to wear medals to which he was not entitled and he took our advice on board."

[Solid Rust Twotter]

A mate's sister is a Walt magnet. She dragged a bunch of no hopers through his barbecue area, each telling increasingly unbelievable stories of derring do. Giving her the heads up was a waste of time, even after a number of them shot themselves in the foot and the relationships ended. Eventually one managed to latch on to her tighter than a limpet and she ended up marrying the creature. Needless to say, things are not going well and the creature's alligator mouth has managed to get him into a position from which his chipmunk brain is unable to extract him. She is not impressed....

[John Botwood]

As an aged loonnng time lurker and participator, I must thank the group for this thread.
Someone told me 15 years ago that the last 'character' had officially left the RAF. It looks as if reports of his/her departure have been wildly exaggerated.
There is one left!!

[angels]

Just nipping back to say that I never met Douglas Bader, but I did meet Kenneth Moore, so that's pretty close isn't it?

After the comments about chefs, in serious mode for once, I went to the PRO in Kew to look up stuff about my Dad who was in Burma etc during WW2.

It was interesting reading the Squadron records and seeing that whenever the airfield was moved, among the first people at the new location were a bunch of chefs and kitchen hands.

I asked Dad about this and he said that when the bulk of the chaps arrived if there wasn't some wad and cha available there would have been a riot. :}

[pulse1]

Biggest Walt I ever knew I first met on my first day at Grammar School. He was rebuked in front of the school for forging his school report. His brother was in my class and, over the next few years we heard stories of rapid progress as an RAF pilot, eventually flying Sabres in Germany.

Occasionally I used to see him in uniform , cycling through the town. I did think that was a bit odd.

A few years later, I picked up a Telegraph and read about his trial - charged with impersonating an officer. Apparently the thing that caught him out was the Croix de Guerre and DFC medals he wore. He claimed he won them in the Suez crisis.

I gather that he had gone into the RAF for National Service, failed the aircrew selection and been afraid to tell his father who was a retired Winco. He started lying and just couldn't stop. He bought the uniform in a second hand shop and might have got away with it if he had removed the medals.

[BEagle]

I think I saw beag's trying to scale the fence, shot him in the arse with a BB gun.

Usual level of US target recognition, eh Westie.

What did you mistake me for? A Hind, some Canadians, a Warrior? Or was it an Iranian Airbus?

Or Farnborough, perhaps?

Have you heard the one about the ship and the lighthouse?

[West Coast]

No, the target fell over the fence, complained loudly to anyone who would listen, used his hands to illustrate the time he splashed a Yank bogey in his F4and then drank him under the table back at the club. Further he chased the illegal's back to Mexico as they attempted to escape all talk of the Vickers fun bus. Suspect then flailed wildly, screaming something about missing a parade in which the RAF promoted diversity of lifestyle.

Pretty sure it was you.

[Roger Sofarover]

We once did a 'reverse walt' in Norway. Mid 90's a group of us were there for about 10 days and at the first gin and tonic frenzy before going down town (Stavanger) we thought how naff it would be to tell our real occupations. We came up with a great cover story that we were infact working as Dolphin conservationists in Norway for 2 months. We allocated each other roles as divers, trainers, boat engineers etc. The local girls just loved it. To make matters worse we spoke in the worst possible Ozzie accents as we figured they were the easiest accents to do and after all Ozzies are more likely to know about Dolphins than Brits ..right!

The first few days were great, everyone was getting DCO's and many promises were being made to take the girls swimming with dolphins 20 miles off the coast in Stavanger. We even had a trial for who could swim with them in the pub. Six girls lined up and were told they had to try and hold their breath for two minutes. Most could not last 30 seconds because of the number of tabs they smoked.

It all fell apart when one guy who had met a truly stunning scandinavian goddess went out for a private dinner with her after a week. Feeling that this would be the woman for the rest of his life he said, dropping his ozzie accent (please put your tongue down in your lower lip while you say this) "Elizabeth I am not really a Dolphin trainer, I am a British Military Pilot, and so are all my friends':ugh::ugh:

We only found out the next evening as we went in to the bar, full of stories of how 'Spotty the Dolphin had rescued one of us today when one of our divers sank lifelessly to the bottom of the sea' to be dragged to the surface by spotty who then called the boat crew and we rescued him. The story was no longer met with glees and gasps of delight as the other stories had, but the hard grimace of 8 very pissed off viking women. We were effectively ran out of the bar (and the goddess never did become the woman of our mates dreams) buggah!!!

[BEagle]

back at the club.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Internet/zxzxz.jpg

Club? No colonials in my club. Or were you referring to the Officers' Mess?

Pretty sure it was you

Yes, you lot are never quite sure of your targets, are you? But hoo-rah, let's shoot anyway...:rolleyes:

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

Westie,

I think you may have touched a raw nerve fella :E

[corsair]

I came across this on another forum. 'The Baron of Castleshort'. He has two huge threads devoted to him on ARRSE. The Army rumour service. This guy by any standars is a world class Walt. Probably king of the walts. So good that he may actually have done a few of the things he mentioned simply because he fooled a few people over the years.

The Lordship of Castleshort (http://home.earthlink.net/~rggsibiba/html/castleshort/castleshort.html)

His profile:
Jim Shortt (http://www.finjutsu.com/Henkilogalleria/Henkilogalleria_ulkom/Shortt/shortt.html)


The Baron of Castleshort - ARRSEpedia, James Shortt, Major Lucien Ott, The Baron Castleshort, IBA, International Bodyguard Association, Protection, Close Protection, Walter Mitty, Knight of St Gregory, McCarthy Mor, Royal Galloglas Guard, SAS, Parach (http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/The_Baron_of_Castleshort)

That guy actually deserves a medal.

[Logistics Loader]

same geezer as the waitrose ad by chance

long hair
stubble

teddy for deception...

SH1 T this guys is from 22!!!

no not SAR

next in the Alfa Bet

[barnstormer1968]

Jim Shortt looks familiar.
I was given a video a while back (for christmas) called "seige busters", and I'm sure he was in it. If it was him, then at one point he was criticising certain countries special forces.

The whole video was pretty poor and I threw it away not long after getting it.

[ehwatezedoing]

Some time it's just plain sad!

What do you do when the future wife of one of your best friend is telling in front of three or four pilots that one day, when she was 'invited' in a military field in Europe
(how convenient as we were all in Canada at the time) she:

"Went inside a fighter jet and the ejection seat she was strapped on fired!"
...Huh !? (in unison)
"Yes! but luckily she fell onto the grass, not the tarmac!

We were more shocked by the fact she could think we would believe her than by the story itself!
There must be a name for this kind of mental sickness.


More embarrassing was Buddy believing her :yuk:


That was 15 years ago with no alcohol involved and it was just a casual conversation before without even mentioning aviation.

[Tourist]

OH
MY
GOD

I am certain after seeing his youtube videos that Jim Shortt taught us CQB on our escape and evasion SMAC course out of HMS Sultan. He was introduced as "the bloke who taught the SAS all they know about the subject"
To be fair to him, he was spectacularly good at his ninja/chopsocky stuff.
Obviously someone somewhere in authority fell for his bull.

[CirrusF]

SAS imposter rumbled

I just spotted another!

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | People In Defence | Defence 2008: A Year in Pictures (http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/PeopleInDefence/Defence2008AYearInPictures.htm)

[Shaft109]

I used to be housemates with a lad at Uni who decided to try his hand at the local OTC (Army eqiv of UAS).

He was kitted out with the latest combat 95 or whatever and proceeded to spend a few weeks with them.

Now I would have thought they would have to do marching, drill and inspections to at least basic standard as well as PT. But no, all they seemed to do was unarmed combat...........and that how he was the hardest person in our house right down to the fact he was the former North Eastern kickboxing champion, and that he "was in the Army now".:hmm:

Until one night he tried to start on a lad in a club and failed to notice the other 7 lads he came in with....and the fact they expect you to iron your kit occasionally in the Army.

Why do people need to act like this? I could see through it but others believed this bullsh!t. He even told people that I was a pilot in the RAF, from I was a staff cadet on a VGS for a few years.

[Two-Tone-Blue]

Glad you guys have found Jimbo Sh!rtt, the World's most famous nobody :ok:

Hours of endless fun, especially watching all his 3rd World IBA Pyramid Scheme websites putting up all sorts of disclaimers and copyright notices since ARRSE started on him.

Much more fun yet to be had, especially once the Media shift up a gear :cool:

[tonker]

In the late 80's i worked in an outdoor shop in the Brunel Plaza in Swindon. We had various oddbods who wore "Egoflage" as we described it and bought anything green or remotely military looking.

One regular used to describe in detail not only what guns he owned, the armies he has been in, and what he would like to do to the "bad" people! We encouraged him and even pointed out the local bad boys not beleiving for a minute any of his far feteched stories.

This oddbod lived in Hungerford, and was called Michael.

How were we to know?

[preduk]

I was down at a chippy getting some grub after an excerise when we got talking to a chap who was interested in what we were doing. He told us he was ex-army and began telling us about his time "serving queen and country".

Guy was talking a load of sh*t but he then asked what these badges were:

http://www.army-surplus.org.uk/images/para_badge_o.jpg

Now most people know what those badges are, so we replied "Oh... Eh... he serves with the 13 Balloon Corp, which basically means we fly over the enemy in Balloons and drop down using ropes". The guy was amazed by this so we made up some stories off the top of our head and off he went with his mates telling them about his meeting with the Balloon Corp. I've never laughed so hard in my life.

[The Helpful Stacker]

A driver where I work in civvy street says he used to be in the Army "but can't really talk about it" though apparently he has worked with the infamous '49 Para' which I helpfully offered to him after the bullsh!t alarms went haywire.
As I informed one of the ladies who had been taking an interest in his military 'record', any serviceman, ex-serviceman or chancer pretending to be the above who uses the phrase "I can't really talk about it" is a walt of the highest order and should be avoided.
Real steely-eyed killer types, when pushed on what they did in the military normally say they served pies on Nimrods.
;o)

[Mr C Hinecap]

Real steely-eyed killer types, when pushed on what they did in the military normally say they served pies on Nimrods

Or refuelled helicopters for 'them' and just tap their nose and give you a knowing wink when you ask about it :suspect:

[Tourist]

Nice Mr C, nice:ok:

[StbdD]

Westie,

I think you may have touched a raw nerve fella


Nah SFP, he touched a sad little xenophobic troll with an inferiority complex and a big mouth in an attempt at friendly humour, banter even, and got nastiness in return.

You see Westie has been there and done that a few times. He has seen the elephant.

On the other hand our Walt, who has never heard a shot in anger unless it was a beer bottle aimed at him, elected to go ugly early. It’s a bloody shame that his claim to have 'led the first strikes into Iraq' (which was soon downgraded to 'errm, I flew a tanker') have gone astray since pprune moved servers. The poor lad has probably never been over the FLOT to test his recce or anything else in his life. But he does talk a big game, even if it is all hat and no cows.

Our own little pprune walt with his lighthouse. Ain’t that sweet?

[DC10RealMan]

I was in Arnhem a few years ago and our local guide who was an historian from the Arnhem battlefield museum told me a story about a "veteran" who turned up every year and would tell people about his exploits during Operation Market Garden in 1944. Often he would tell his tales complete with medals to listeners whilst standing in the military cemetary in Arnhem surrounded by dead young men who were there and never came home. My guide told us that when found out he quietly disappeared and has never been seen since. Personally I cannot imagine a greater crime than "Stealing Dead Mens Glory" and rather than a "quiet word" I would have given him a medicinal kicking for this amoral behaviour.

[BEagle]

Rare for you to stray outside JetBlast, stbdd....

'Xenophobic', by the way. If you're going to be insulting, at least learn to spell first.

Westie knows the 'lighthouse' in-joke.

3 VC10K from KKIA and 8 Tornados from Muharraq, night of 15/16 Jan 1991. Olive Trail and Lime Post. All went fine.

You?

[West Coast]

Dang Beag's, step back from the keyboard...enjoy a cold one (or room temp one as some Brits prefer) and recognize when someone is simply rattling your cage with a wee bit of sarcastic humour.

You can climb the fence anytime you want. I won't shoot you in the arse...probably.

[RETDPI]

O.K. Whilst we're piling it on this festive season , Beags still has my "Pilot" magazine with a picture of Daryl Greenamyer's Bearcat in it - that I loaned him in 1969.
Big "Shoulders like a stevedore" Wanda never forgave him.

[BEagle]

Hey Westie, how y'all getting on over there in the colonies? Looking forward to having your new President at the helm?

A cold one or a warm one, that is the eternal question! Coors (not that weasel piss known as Coors 'Lite') does indeed taste wonderful when chilled. As do many of your microbrewery products. But British brown beer is better at cellar temperature.

I've been told that I might have to pay a visit to your country next year on business, so hopefully won't need to climb any fences and risk your marksmanship....:ooh: That is, if I can persuade the fat Martians at immigration that I don't intend overthrowing the government....:hmm:

Now Redders, I do indeed remember 1969 as that was the year that Darryl F Greenamyer broke the old Bf109R record at 478 mph in a Bearcat. Shall have a look for your magazine, but fear it no longer exists!

However, selective amnesia means that (fortunately) I don't remember Big Wanda. Or was she that awful Amazonian creature who worked in the Officers' Mess at White Waltham - and supplemented her income by 'entertaining' the navvies who were busily building the M4 extension at the time. For 2/6 a time, I gather....:suspect:

[The Helpful Stacker]

Now, now Mr C. You know as well as I do I was being bored to tears at West Moors when TSW received the Underwater Knife Fighting course signal. Hence I missed the course and had to spend my wars taste testing F34 samples instead.
Of course the bowsers containing said F34 may have been looked at by one of 'them' in passing which practically qualifies you to be a 'them' in some mess bars.
;o)

[West Coast]

Looking forward to having your new President at the helm?


I've worked through my grief and am in the acceptance stage now.

Coors

And I thought we could be friends. Rather drink water. Some fine Canadian beer please.

That is, if I can persuade the fat Martians at immigration that I don't intend overthrowing the government

That's Going to take you keeping your opinion to yourself for at least an hour or two while in the que. A daunting task I would imagine.

[BEagle]

Coors is possibly the least awful; whereas Budweiser.....isn't. But Canadian beer? Labatt Blue or Molson, perhaps.....

The trick with Immigration will (hopefully) be to enter from Canada, rather than direct from Europe. Nevertheless I will practice by talking to some cows or trees first.....:uhoh:

[West Coast]

Is that talking to or talking down to?

[BEagle]

Neither really - just slowly and in words of one syllable as though talking to a deaf old aunt or a senior army officer!

[brickhistory]

Lord Beags, I'd bet a drink that you'll be treated with more courtesy coming into the good ol' USA than you will going back home into the EU, err, UK.

And we can legally own guns.

I love my country! :ok:

edited to add: And to keep the thread on topic, the US has "The Stolen Valor Act." While not a top priority, it is a federal offense to claim medals or service to which one is not entitled. Some have gone to jail and/or been fined.

[West Coast]

just slowly and in words of one syllable

Let me know how the cavity search goes.

[BEagle]

What? You mean there's a dental check as well?

I thought that sort of thing went out with the Third Reich?

Legal gun ownership is a thorny issue here. Total prohibition after certain events was a typical government over reaction. What if the murderer at Dunblane had used a golf bat or cricket stick instead of a handgun - would they have banned golf and cricket?

[West Coast]

What? You mean there's a dental check as well?


Beagle, meet Dr. Big Fingers.

[iwalkedaway]

Oh what a lovely thread. Back in the '80s I had to conduct some business with a gentleman in Australia. He met us at the airport and as he drove us to his office we got into a rather too detailed conversation about the aircraft we had flown in on. "During my flying days..." became as regular a start to each of his sentences as Uncle Albert's "Durin' the war...". He was clearly busting to be asked the question, so we fell for it: "Oh what did you fly?".

Turned out to be fighters, Shooting Stars, USAF, Korean War. "What was an Aussie doing in the USAF?" - "On attachment, military advisor - but I saw plenty of combat...".

"How did you do?". "More kills than most". "Oh - well done - how many". "Errr - about six". Yeah, right.... The subject was not raised again, and no - we didn't do a deal in the end.

Funny how the real guys are often so reluctant to talk at all. There was a great WW2 agent-dropping pilot who ended up behind barbed wire, never cared to reminisce, but postwar became a works team racing driver for Aston Martin. In one practice session he bent his car and when he got back to the pits he was given a right bollocking by the team manager. He listened in silence until the storm had blown over, and then said gently "Bloody hell, when I crashed my Stirling they gave me the ******* DFC!".

[Samuel]

We had an ex-RAF Nav here in NZ around the time we bought the 10 Andovers ex-RAF. He was most definitely a Nav, and had practiced on Canberras of various squadrons he assured us, [our Canberras had long gone at that time]. He was on my Command and Staff Course in 1976 and in the course of discussion over a beer revealed that he had taken part in one of the Canberra raids during the Suez crisis. There followed a noticeable silence and a change in subject because he knew and I knew that, given his age, he would have been the only 16-year-old Canberra Navigator on Suez operations!

[mosquitob4]

In our (non-aviation) organisation we have a mega-Walt who claims a George Medal, ex-21/22, a BSc in English (!), membership of various of organisations and a history tackling organised crime amongst many other things. All verifiably complete 'round-objects'.

Now here's the odd thing - he's known as a complete Walt throughout the organisation (minor Walting is sometimes referred to as 'doing a ... (insert his surname).. and he works for a guy who really HAS got an interesting history in NI but despite that he's recently been promoted! We can only wonder...!

[Dengue_Dude]

Mind you, this IS a thread about bull**** and imposters . . .

As for 'serving pies in a Nimrod' - some of us actually ATE pies - even the cold greasy ones - armadillos.

God, we were hard, by the way, did I ever tell you about . . . . .

[Farmer 1]

given his age, he would have been the only 16-year-old Canberra Navigator on Suez operations!

We once had a Walt - been there, done that, no matter what or where. He told us many times he had once lost a very important piece of paper, for which he was responsible. Result - 28 days inside. We knew this story to be true, and also the date of the event.

He was regaling us with the story, yet again, one evening, and a newcomer commented that he would never get his Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, for which 18 years' undetected crime is one of the requirements.

"Already got it," sezee. He did not notice the sudden silence, or the howls of laughter that followed. For him to have the medal, he would have had to be three years old when he joined up.

The thing is, even when he knew his cover was blown, it made no difference to his tall tale-telling.

[Two-Tone-Blue]

There was a flt lt ATCO at Binbrook in the late 60s who claimed to have been a navigator on a nuclear submarine - not bad going for a guy in his mid-30s at most.

However: the Jim Shortt saga rolls on. The Anglo-Oirish Uber-Walt has had just about everything he ever claimed debunked, and he still won't lie down. Updated material to make you weep is:
Here:
The Baron of Castleshort - ARRSEpedia, James Shortt, Major Lucien Ott, The Baron Castleshort, IBA, International Bodyguard Association, Protection, Close Protection, Walter Mitty, Knight of St Gregory, McCarthy Mor, Royal Galloglas Guard, SAS, Parach (http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/The_Baron_of_Castleshort#The_Baron_of_Castleshort.27s_CV:)
And here:
List of James Shortt's Dubious Claims - ARRSEpedia (http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/List_of_James_Shortt%27s_Dubious_Claims)

and discussion continues in Part 2 here:
Army Rumour Service > > Forums > > General > > The Intelligence Cell > > 'Baron' Castleshort Part 2 (http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=109934/postdays=0/postorder=asc/start=0.html)

[anotherthing]

And another one exposed... this one completely foolish with the range of medals he wore...

Fake War Veteran's Walk Of Shame: Medal Of Dishonour During Remembrance Day Parade | UK News | Sky News (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Fake-War-Veterans-Walk-Of-Shame-Medal-Of-Dishonour-During-Remembrance-Day-Parade/Article/200912115491953)

[Tankertrashnav]

When I was in the medal business I both sold medals to collectors and offered a mounting service. I was frequently of the opinion that people buying medals (usually replicas) of medals that they claimed to have lost were in fact not entitled to them. Often people went further, buying a medal that they thought they should have been given, perhaps a GSM where they had not quite done sufficient service in theatre. Some were even more blatant - I did manage to dissuade one chap from awarding himself an OBE on one occasion, but I am sure many others managed to fool me.

Looking at the chap in the picture above, even as replicas that group would have set him back several hundred pounds, and if the DSO and MC were originals then we are into four figures. It just shows how far these Walter Mittys will go to live out their fantasies!

[Utrinque Apparatus]

anotherthing

The real thing that gave him away was the Iron Cross with Oak Leaf cluster, next to the Order of Lenin and the Dai Nippon Merit Badge ? In addition, judging by the pained expression, he's wearing underwear so can't have been pukka :E

[Gainesy]

Strewth, he's got more Chocolate-Wrapper Bling than the PoW.

[airborne_artist]

Well b*gger me - even Paddy Mayne with three bars to his DSO (yes, three..) didn't have a haul like that.

That beret's the giveaway, too. No-one ex 21/22/23 would have had an abortion of a mushroom like that on his head. Much shrinking, moulding etc was done before a beige lid ever saw the light of day.

[Utrinque Apparatus]

Paddy Mayne, there's a story AA. Just back from Belfast and was regaled with some extra tales by the oldies there in 'Ards

[Tankertrashnav]

next to the Order of Lenin


Interesting aside, but there were four RAF recipients of the Order of Lenin, three officers and a flight sergeant, all were aircrew on 151 wing flying Hurricanes in support of the Soviets during Operation Barbarossa. Also I once knew a Welsh plumber who had the Iron Cross 2nd Class, although in fairness he had won this as a Lithuanian who had joined the Waffen SS in order to have a crack at the hated Russians. Taken prisoner in Normandy he ended up in Wales and settled there after the war. He never wore it on Remembrance Day, as he figured it might have caused a few raised eyebrows.

[Utrinque Apparatus]

I saw a programme on that quite recently. Amazing story

RAF Hurricanes in Russia (http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/articles/sheppard/hurricanes/index.htm)

As for you "knowing a plumber", well now you are just stretching credulity ! :ok:

[clunckdriver]

Some of the worst cases of bull****ers seemed to home on the seat next to me when deadheading out of uniform during my time on the heavy iron, one of them was explaining to me in far more detail than I really wanted to hear, about one of his great exploits in the air, when the F/A leaned across him and said, "Captain, crew sked just sent a data link for you, could you come up front and send your reply", when I returned to my seat he had moved two rows away from me! Mind you, I hear you Brits have a bod runung around with RAF pilot wings up front who in fact has only flown fourty hours, can this be true?

[ShyTorque]

Anything can be true to a Walt...

The rules say you must give wings back if you don't make combat ready on your first squadron. There is no way this could be done on the minimum hours for a PPL!

[Vertico]

Isn't he the walt on Post #1 of this thread?

[Tankertrashnav]

I saw a programme on that quite recently. Amazing story


Thanks for the link, Utrinque, very interesting, and I never knew the guys' names before this. I like the picture of the Wg Cdr with his Order. DFC, AFC, Order of Lenin has to be a unique combination I would guess.

As for the plumber, well this was a long time ago, before they earned more than a brain surgeon (or an MP for that matter ;)).

Late addition - just seen your post Vertigo - yes you're right, that has to be Cattell up to his old tricks. After being outed here in Cornwall it seems he has moved to Warwickshire and got himself a load of new medals. The guy has to be seriously sick.

[Old-Duffer]

Quite a few people get away with being quite successful in the Walter Mitty Stakes. Some obvious ways to avoid 'detection' are:

Be plausible. don't try to claim things which are too far beyond your level of knowledge/experience.

Don't wear gallantry medals - these are always easily traced by anybody interested.

Don't claim to be SAS - when I helped with SSAFA, the branch sec said 'the SAS is the largest regiment in the British Army - if everbody who claimed to have served in it, actually had'.

Be understated and alude to your acts of 'daring do' rather than describe them in detail.

Suggest that you once had a rather serious bang on the head and that sometimes your memory is a bit flawed about all those people you served with. If you are close to being 'rumbled' this helps and it also allows you to collect the names of people whose identities are offered by the person asking you the questions - you can then use them yourself, next time.

Don't wear too many medals, get them in the right order and know the eligibility criteria, so that you match your own 'experience' with the gongs you are wearing.

That's my advice and its always worked for me.

Best wishes in you Walting.

Field Marshal Lord Fauntleroy KCVO, DSO OBE MC and bar, aged 23

[rmac]

I once presented at an "East-West" security conference in London to which quite a lot of former soviet and current Russian "heavy-hitters" attend on their corporate accounts for a free few days holiday in London.

One of the other speakers was Jim Shortt, and at the time the Russkis seemed to take him quite seriously (probably about 10 years ago now).

He attended with a group of gullible young lads who were his bodyguard trainees out on a "practice mission" and after his presentation they all swept out of the room in a blaze of glory, down to the exit from the conference hotel and out in to the street....

Only to find that their cars had been towed away for illegal parking :E

[Pontius Navigator]

Thanks for the link, Utrinque, very interesting, and I never knew the guys' names before this. I like the picture of the Wg Cdr with his Order. DFC, AFC, Order of Lenin has to be a unique combination I would guess.

I was in the club in August and met one of the 151 Wg pilots. I don't recognise him from the photos but he looked very youthful. After the war he was posted to Moscow as an AA.

The Russians host an Arctic forces reunion outside the Imperial War Museum
each year. The next is on 9 May 10.

[Herc-u-lease]

In the US it is a federal offence (or should that be offense?:)) to wear a military medal to which you are not entitled.

I reckon any walt might think twice if faced with credible punishment:

Accused Military Fake Steven Burton Charged: Man Allegedly Wore Unearned medals To Class Reunion (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/11/accused-military-fake-ste_n_354753.html)

H-u-L

[mister hilter]

ehwatezedoing

There must be a name for this kind of mental sickness.


I believe it's Munchausen's syndrome, made into a movie 'The Adventures of Baron von Munchausen' by one of the Monty Python team (Terry Gilliam?).

DC10RealMan

a medicinal kicking

A beer-meets-keyboard moment. :D

[diginagain]

According to this Sunday Times article, (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6946105.ece) he's called Roger Day.

[rats404]

Last night Day claimed he could not talk about his claimed SAS service “because of the Official Secrets Act”.

“I can’t comment on that, like I can’t give you any real relevant details. I’m still tied under a lot of the Official Secrets Act,” he said.

“They’re all proper, pukka campaign medals. Medals I won in conflicts while I was serving with the British forces. All I can say is south Atlantic, the Gulf, Kuwait and one or two other stations.”

...What a c*ck.

[tutamen et alterus]

Think you are allowed to wear what you like from pilot wings to DSO's . . . . . as long as you are heir to the throne! Impersonating a member of the Armed Forces (i.e. currently serving) IS an offence. As I once gleefully pointed out to a young lad sat opposite me on the train who had spent the previous 3 hours entertaining me with his tales of daring do directed towards the foxy young lady sat next to me. UNfortunately for Pete, "been in and out of the SBS, toughest section of the Army you know" was the final nail in his coffin!

Don't worry, I wasn't ruining a possible trap, the foxy young lady was my then girlfriend, also serving, who was highly entertained by his bu**sh*t

[Dengue_Dude]

Don't worry, I wasn't ruining a possible trap, the foxy young lady was my then girlfriend, also serving, who was highly entertained by his bu**sh*t

AAah - sweet moments aren't they?

There's a peculiar enjoyment watching a Walt 'in action', it's like watching one of those really old, incredibly badly acted, black and white films - utterly fascinating. It's so indescribably bad, you don't want it to end :E

[Tankertrashnav]

Having seen plenty of disparaging remarks about medals worn by both Prince Charles and Prince Phillip on here, JB and comments pages elsewhere I thought I may say a little about medals worn by the Royal Family.

Firstly pilots' wings. Well I am not a pilot, so I cannot comment on the skills of the aforesaid, but both won their wings after passing training courses current at the time. Neither may have been hotshot pilots, but then neither were some of the guys I had the dubious pleasure of flying behind over the years - thankfully usually in the right hand seat.

Neither Prince Charles nor Prince Phillip wears one medal to which he is not entitled. In the case of the former these are a mixture of non-military orders, coronation and jubilee medals of the type one might expect to be bestowed on the heir to the throne. He does not wear a DSO, tutamen, nor any gallantry or campaign medals. His father on the other hand has a very impressive collection of WW2 stars, all awarded for service as a junior Naval officer before he even met his future wife. He is unusual in being entitled to wear 5 campaign stars, the maximum possible, a feat achieved by very few in any of the services. So knock the royals as much as you like, that's what democracy is all about, but get your facts straight before you do.

[peterperfect]

With all his prep work on various military collectors/internet auction sites, how did Mr Day manage to turn up sporting the Regimental Tie of the Gay Gordons ?

[diginagain]

Perhaps he thought anything else would clash with the ribbons?

[Cardinal Puff]

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d132/Lardbeast/thebalcony.jpg

[teeteringhead]

Or as a hooligan mate of mine once said;

"I wasn't at the Embassy ......


........ but I've met hundreds of blokes who were ....!" :ok:

[clunckdriver]

Tankertrashnav, you just cost me five bucks! You see, my wife who is a KIWI bet me it would take less than ten posts to get a bite re Prince whats his name getting wings in 40 hours! Being a KIWI she is a master at "Pom Baiting". its almost a national sport down there! On a more serious note, the response in our local Legion from some of our vets was not very positive when it comes to the future of the Crown in Canada, these guys are not "Walts" by any streatch, there DFCs and other gongs were earned the hard way along with their wings, as one said it makes being a "Walt" OK in the eyes of many if one of the Royals can get away with it.

[Load Toad]

If it is a Federal offence in the USA to wear medals and such that one is not entitled to wear (AFAIK)- is there a similar law in UK and if not is it time to campaign for such a law to exist?
I find it utterly insulting to people that have served when some tosser (even if they are suffering some sort of mental health issue) parades around claiming to be something they are not.

[Tankertrashnav]

Clunk - how do you know I'm a Pom? Brit yes, does that count? Thought Poms were English. You may get your $5 back as I'm half Irish/half Scots (and yes, still loyal to the Crown!).

Load Toad - Dont think there is a law against wearing medals to which you are not entitled here, but there is one against impersonating a member of HM Forces. When I was serving, an officers' confidential order came round to the effect that officers were not to harrass civilians wearing ex RAF greatcoats etc as these had been disposed of through service channels and as long as there was no serious attempt to impersonate a serviceman no offence was being committed. As you see, the attitude is pretty lax over here but in the present pro-service climate (way different from the 60s and 70s when we were scum to a lot of civvies) things may well change.

[Diablo Rouge]

A man who marched on Remembrance Day with an "impossible" 17 medals has denied he is a fake, saying he earned all the honours. Related photos / videos
http://d.yimg.com/i/ng/ne/skynews/20091207/12/1586581884-fake-war-vet-earned-medals.jpg?x=310&y=231&q=75&wc=321&hc=240&xc=40&yc=1&sig=F2Smece.pOtZEFdWteghBA--#310,231 (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20091207/img/puk-fake-war-vet-i-earned-a-070dd538c5cb.html)



Angry war veterans spotted the man taking part in the November 11 parade in Bedworth, Warwickshire.
Pinned to his lapel was the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross - in addition to campaign medals stretching from World War Two to the Gulf.
He also wore three SAS badges and an SAS beret.
Military experts said it would have been "impossible" for one man to have been decorated with so many honours.
But 61-year-old Roger Day said all the medals were genuine - and so was he.
"They're all proper pukka campaign medals. Medals I won in conflicts while I was serving with the British forces," he told The Sun.
But when quizzed about his SAS background, he said the Official Secrets Act prevented him from giving details.
"All I can say is South Atlantic, the Gulf, Kuwait and one or two other stations," he said.
He suggested others had misidentified his medals because he "might have hung them in the wrong order".
Mr Day also rejected that he had fled the Bedworth service after being confronted by former servicemen and admitting he was a phoney.
"I saw it out to its bitter end and then went drinking with some ex-SAS buddies."
Reports said Mr Day was once also challenged by a real soldier at his local pub after talking up his efforts as an SAS hero.
However, he was backed by the vicar of the church where he was married.
"I do not think he is pretending," Graham Gittings told The Daily Mail.
"There are pictures of him in the Armed Forces in his home and he has given talks to church groups about war and peace."

[Nomorefreetime]

Of course he earned his medals.
Medals = Ebay, Ebay = Money, Money = Earnings...there you go he earned his medals.

Whats all this boat house stuff about......

[barnstormer1968]

In the picture of Mr Day above, his beret badge looks too wide to me. Is that just me, or is it possibly a metal badge on a felt background (can't enlarge the picture, and my eyesight is rubbish these days).
Also, I notice he has a lapel/blazer badge in his poppy, just like the first chap mentioned in this thread.

On a slight tangent, I think Mr Day (in his beret) has a resemblance to Edward Woodward, not that this has anything to do with much at all, it's just something I noticed.

Second tangent. Did British forces ever use the word 'buddies'?

[lsh]

Come-on guy's, he MUST be genuine!

Please note the following evidence:
1. SAS beret
2. SAS tie-pin
3. SAS blazer badge
4. SAS badge in centre of poppy

Finally, "the clincher":
Its a well known fact amongst those "in the know" that the SAS just love to advertise!

So, there you are, I rest my case!
lsh

[PPRuNe Pop]

With some simple arithmatic if he is wearing WW2 medals, and he is 61 now - that would make him.....................not born yet! He couldn't join the SAS until until 1966 at the earliest - even if he joined the army at 18!

IF the Kuwait Liberation medal (4th class) is correct it is not allowed to be worn. Except by senior ranks Air rank down to officers. No other personel allowed to wear it

Conclusion; the man is a lying fool = 'WM' Class 1.

[anotherthing]

Give him a break, his tie is rather fetching

[airborne_artist]

He couldn't join the SAS until until 1966 at the earliest - even if he joined the army at 18!You could join the Army before age 18 of course in those days, but the youngest age he'd have got onto Selection would have been early 20s, as he'd have to have done three years absolute minimum adult service, more like five in his first/parent regiment - I'm not sure many regulars did Selection before the age of 22, so it'd have been 1970 before he'd be in possession of his beige headgear.

Add to that he's "got" an MC and an MM - now that's very rare, as it implies he was decorated in the ranks, and again as an officer - he's too old to have got an MC in the ranks under the new rules. Then there is "his" DSO to that, which is rarely awarded to anyone below the rank of Major/equivalent, and he's now got a haul of medals that no-one in the Regiment has ever had - fact, and it is so easy to check up that he's a real plonker of the first order.

[navibrator]

I think he is bonkers - lock him up!

[philrigger]

;)


Ref post #148

So the local vicar thinks this man is genuine.
Has this church rep seen the inscriptions round the edge of the medals !!

[barnstormer1968]

OK, so many posters are claiming Mr Day is not entitled to ALL those medals. If he has served from the age of minus three/four until his retirement, then surely no one would begrudge him a long service medal or two:E

[Sloppy Link]

AA
Not strictly true, MC could be awarded to a Warrant Officer along with DFC/DSC before the rules changed. DSO could be awarded to Junior Officers under the old rules for bravery and was generally regarded as one down from a VC but now DSO is awarded for operational leadership whilst CGC is second to VC.

Man is still a *nob.

[Boris1275]

This man is such an obvious fraud that I can only feel pity for him. He just isn't worth anyones emotional energy.

[LFFC]

Bogus 'SAS veteran' arrested after being caught parading with 'impossible' medal haul (http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1235123/Bogus-SAS-veteran-arrested-caught-parading-impossible-medal-haul.html).

[Tankertrashnav]

Interesting post LFFC - thanks. I've been involved with medals for over 30 years now and I'd never heard of that law before. Interesting that it's part of the Army Act yet would still appear to apply to civilians. Might make a few Walts pause and think if they go through with it and actually prosecute this guy. I see he lives in Warwickshire - a couple of hundred hours community service at Selly Oak Hospital might introduce him to some real heroes - if he didn't die of shame first of course.

[Cornerstone958]

Slight correction to the previous post Earl Shilton is in Leicestershire between Hinckley & Leicester. Bedworth where he was caught out is in Warwickshire.:ok:
CS

[November4]

Knowing the way the police work, some PC has sat down with the Police National Legal Database or the Police Visual Handbook or whatever to try and find an offence that could be used here. Havign found one, they won't have realised that the offence is under the Army Act....does the Army Act apply to Civilians? If so then just think of all the military specific offences that could be applied to civilians.

I would wait to see if he is actually prosecuted and for what offence.

[Dave Angel]

Prosecuted or not at least he's been 'officially' rumbled.:(
I hope someone who knows him has a 'quiet word' and perhaps a donation to one of the forces charities as a way of appology is in order.
Then just go away quietly.:=

[Dual ground]

@ November 4 Google Army Act 1955 Part 197 and:-

197. Unauthorised use of and dealing in decorations, etc. — (1) Any person who, in the United Kingdom or in any colony,—
(a)
without authority uses or wears any military decoration, or any badge, wound stripe or emblem supplied or authorised by [F18the Defence Council], or
(b)
uses or wears any decoration, badge, wound stripe, or emblem so nearly resembling any militarydecoration, or any such badge, stripe or emblem as aforesaid, as to be calculated to deceive, or
(c)
falsely represents himself to be a person who is or has been entitled to use or wear any such decoration, badge, stripe or emblem as is mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subsection,
shall be guilty of an offence against this section:
Provided that nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the use or wearing of ordinary regimental badges or of brooches or ornaments representing them.

(2) Any person who purchases or takes in pawn any naval, military or air-force decoration awarded to anymember of Her Majesty’s military forces, or solicits or procures any person to sell or pledge any suchdecoration, or acts for any person in the sale or pledging thereof, shall be guilty of an offence againstthis section unless he proves that at the time of the alleged offence the person to whom the decoration wasawarded was dead or had ceased to be a member of those forces.
(3) Any person guilty of an offence against this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a finenot exceeding [F19level 3 on the standard scale] or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both such a fine and such imprisonment.
Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F18
Words substituted by S.I. 1964/488, Sch. 1 Pt. I
F19
Words substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss.38, 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), ss. 289F, 289G and (N.I.) S.I.1984/703 (N.I.3), arts. 5, 6

[diginagain]

Interesting. If the plod have charged Mr Day under the Army Act 1955, he may well find himself released in fairly short order.

I'm lead to believe the said Act became defunct as of 0001 hrs on 30 Oct 09, to be replaced by the Armed Forces Act 2006 (AFA06).

[Old-Duffer]

There is no Army Act anymore. The three services are now subject to a single disciplinary code as from ... a little while ago...

I have not seen it nor do i know how it is presented. However, I shall miss Section 69 of the Air Force Act "Conduct to the Prejudice of good order and air force discipline...." That would catch you if nothing else did.

The same is true of service writing - now called "Defence Writing". No more: 'Sir, I have the honour' and that sort of stuff and they've done away with the wonderfully named: 'Air Force Board Letter of Grave Displeasure' which always began: 'Sir, I am commanded by the Air Force Board of the Defence Council to express their lordships grave displeasure' and then went on to tell you why you were a plonker!

How times have changed.

[Cardinal Puff]

Lucky for the museum that was after the medal belonging to Rfn Pun, VC that the Army Act no longer applies. I seem to recall some shaky dealings to get him to deliver his VC into their care.

Or am I mistaken? All that beer has side effects, you know. It makes you los... Oh look. A squirrel.....

[Tankertrashnav]

Cardinal Puff

Somewhat confused by your post. I understand that Rifleman Pun's medals have been in the Gurkha Museum at Winchester since 2003. Whether they were donated by him or purchased by the museum is of no relevance to the above Act as the offence only occurs if an attempt is made to induce someone to sell their medals while they are still serving. On many occasions over the years I had to check very carefully that the guy offering to sell me his South Atlantic Medal, for example, was not still serving, as I certainly didn't want to shell out several hundred pounds for a medal only to see the SIB walk in and confiscate it the next day (as has happened to less careful or more unscrupulous dealers).

[Cardinal Puff]

That clears it up then. Thanks for the info.

[November4]

Thanks Dual ground for that. I assumed the Army act applied to the Army only.

But if it has been superceeded then it wouldn't be the first time that the police have tried to prosecute somene using out of date legislation.

[Fat Chris]

Could it be, that the new(ish) legislation has the offence covered in the same manner and the press have misquoted the charge?

After all, it wouldn't be a first, and a fairly easy mistake to make.

[Dual ground]

As far as I can see it says nothing about been charged, only arrested. Doesn't the CPS make the recommendation of which charges to actually make?

[Fat Chris]

Absolutely correct and thanks for setting me right.

Are there any more updates?

[November4]

Having now checked PNLD myself - I am still of the opinion that the Army Act does not apply in this case as:

The Army Act 1955 and the Air Force Act 1955 contain parallel provisions with respect to the relevant Force, substituting air force for army, airman for soldier and similar changes.
The Acts create offences in relation to army and air force personnel, define the jurisdiction of courts and set out procedures for the processing of deserters and absentees.

[John Purdey]

Old Duffer. Very interesting; the letter to which you refer was for many years included in the Standing Orders of every RAF unit. I seem to recall that it was known as the S10f letter, bacause that was the secretarial department of the then Air Ministry Department that had originally drafted it. It dealt mainly with social naughties such as adultery, and otherwise bringing the Service into disrepute.

[JEM60]

According to my mother-in-laws paper. he served 17 months in the Army in the 70's. then dropped out.

[barnstormer1968]

A bit of thread drift here.
I am sure someone will be able to quote me the exact rule on a question, but also, I would like other posters opinions on a matter.

At next years remembrance parade, I was planning to wear my fathers medals, in honour of his service (medals on the right side, not left).
He now has alzheimers, and is a shadow of his former self, and would not remember why he was at the parade, or remember it afterwards.

What do fellow PPRuNer's think of this practice?

[Melchett01]

Barnstormer,

FWIW, and just my opinion, but as long as they were on the RHS, then it would be a particularly brave / anal / cold-hearted individual who would challenge you. You would probably find that if you wore them on the RHS, nobody would bat an eyelid and would probably just assume that they belonged to a deceased relative.

Sometimes I am almost tempted to wear mine on LHS and my late grandfather's on the RHS as his last surviving blood relative. Then again, having been a SNCO in the Paras during WW2, his little haul would put mine to shame, so perhaps not :p

Crack on, I'm sure it would be fine.

[Tankertrashnav]

Pretty sure we are talking of a convention rather than a strict rule here, but I know you want to get it right. I assume the point is as your father is still alive it would normally be he who would be wearing the medals, but I am pretty sure that in the circumstances no-one could find any objection to what you propose.

I'd say go ahead and do it, and honour your father's service in your own way.

[November4]

Can I wear medals belonging to members of my family?

The official position regarding wearing medals other than your own is that they should not be worn. However, it was generally accepted from soon after the Great War that widows of the fallen wore their late husband's medals on the right breast on suitable occasions.

More recently it seems to have become the custom for any family member to wear medals of deceased relations in this way, sometimes trying to give a complete family military history by wearing several groups. Although understandable it is officially incorrect, and when several groups are worn it does little for the dignity of the original owners. One thing is certain, no action will be taken officially if anyone wears a relation's medals, though some officious member of the public might comment.

In the Legion this practice is banned for Standard Bearers and discouraged in relation to others.

From the RBL website (http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/medals/medal-faqs#wearing)

[teeteringhead]

I wonder if any of the RBL were brave/anal/cold-hearted enough (lovely phrase Melchett :ok:) to give the above advice to the members of the War Widows' Association who wore their husbands' medals at the RBL Festival of Remembrance last month .......

[ShyTorque]

Makes quite a contrast to my old uncle who never claimed any of his WW2 medals, from his RAF service, let alone wore them in public, until my late father (who was a very active member of the RAFA in his later life) urged him to do so.

Uncle, then in his late eighties, finally received them by post. He apparently looked briefly at them and put them to one side. Although we regularly visited him I never saw them until my son, as his god-son, was bequeathed them four years ago. Amongst them is a Burma Star. He never even told anyone in the family that he'd been part of that campaign. Although he wasn't aircrew, I do know that he was involved in an aircraft crash on his way back from India.

[barnstormer1968]

Thank you for all the comments so far.
I just think it would be nice for me to do, and as for any officious onlookers, I am happy to declare to them that:
A. I am not a war widow.
B. Yes, I am too young to have earned the Palestine medal etc.:}

[Satellite_Driver]

Regarding whether s.197 Army Act 1955 applies:

- It is in the section of the Act entitled 'Offences relating to military matters punishable by civil courts', which creates offences that civilians may commit.

- The Armed Forces Act 2006 has provisions that allow certain offences under the single service discipline acts (including s.197 AA 1955) to continue, subject to renewal by statutory instrument.

- SI 2009/1752, the Armed Forces, Army, Air Force and Naval Discipline Acts (Continuation) Order, came into effect on July 8th 2009.

- Article 2 of that order says:

The Armed Forces Act 2006, the Army Act 1955, the Air Force Act 1955 and the Naval Discipline Act 1957 shall, instead of expiring on 8th November 2009, continue in force until 8th November 2010.

So, the Army Act isn't quite dead (it sort of gets annual CPR to keep bits of it going!) and s.197, despite being in the Army Act, does apply to civilians.

[bakseetblatherer]

As to wearing your families medals we have an active Dawn Parade here on ANZAC Day and lots of people wear there reli's medals on the right. In NZ it seems to be a 'rule' that everyone understands. In fact there are more medals on the right than the left :(

[Hueymeister]

Don't get me started..used to work with one of the biggest BS merchants around. Thank F he left...Cob**t F**g you were an inveterate liar to the nth degree.

[Wiley]

In Australia, it's becoming more and more common to see the children or grandchildren of (I'm assuming deceased) servicemen marching in the Anzac Day march with the dead rellie's unit and wearing his medals.

While I can see that with the passing of time, it's the only way the WW1 and WW2 units can continue to have a presence at the march, I have to admit to being somewhat ambivalent about the practice.

It's also now quite common to see people who, when they were in the Service, may have sported one (usually incomplete) row of medals, but now, thanks to recent Federal Government decisions to hand out medals to all and sundry by the breakfast cereal packet load, those same men look like a Russian or Yank veteran. (I know one bloke who told me that when he left the RAAF, he had one full row, which included a DFC. Now, he tells me, he has four complete rows - 16 *** medals, 12 of which didn't exist when he wore the blue!)

Myself, I think it's cheapened the whole thing.

[Samuel]

Apropos the wearing of medals...there has been a huge increase in New Zealand in latter years of the attendance of young people at the ANZAC Day Dawn Services; all wearing their late relatives medals on the right side, a practise approved by the RSA incidentally. Good on them all!

As for the imposter.......is it too politically incorrect for a couple of genuine ex-servicemen to quietly take him behind the hangar and offer some counseling.......:ouch:

On another tack...I was approached four years ago by a partially blind English gentleman whom I knew was a Brit WW2 vet. Mr Crisp by name, a Yorkshireman.

He had served overseas for well over four years, in the Royal Engineers, or "Ginger Beers" as he termed them, first in the desert, then in Italy. He wanted to know if I could help him get the medals to which he was entitled.. I knew I could do that, so I agreed that I would, then curiosity got the better of me and I asked why he hadn't collected them on demob? "There were a bloody queue", he replied, "and I'd spent too bloody long standing in bloody queues".

So I got his details, and wrote to London, and his medals duly arrived. I paid for them to be mounted properly, but by which time he had been moved into a rest home. He had no known relatives that I knew of, so I took the medals up to him, found his room, and there he was sitting up in bed wearing a cloth cap! When I stopped laughing, I handed them over, and the reward of seeing them pinned on his chest was enough for me.

Sadly, he died not long after, and I attended the funeral; not many there at all, but the funeral director mentioned someone , a nephew, had come from the UK. The medals had meanwhile been sent to me on Mr Crisp's instructions, so I handed them over to the nephew. End of story.

[andy148]

The wearing of family members medals by the nearest and dearest is in its self an act of remeberance, would serving and retired members mind... id like to think not.

[Trojan1981]

Myself, I think it's cheapened the whole thing.

I couldn't agree more. I recently scored the 'thanks for turning up to work' ADM in the mail. Prior to that I only wore a single AASM. People are now graduating from ADFA with an ADM!

I was talking to a 21 y/o CISOC digger last ANZAC day. He had been to Ache for the tsunami releif and the sandpit, where for the most part was not allowed to leave the compound except to go to and from the airport. Yet he was wearing five medals.

I know Infantry soldiers who have done it much harder for much less. The RAAF are good at handing them out- 1 sortie=1 medal:rolleyes:

[Thunderguts]

My best WALT was nicknamed 'Mad Jack.
One night flying from the land of 'peace and tranquility' towards the land of 'the massage parlour', with Mad Jack flying and my wife on the jump seat, we were regaled with stories of how he had to sort out the RF-4 (Phantom) loss rate in Vietnam for the Americans, who had not a clue, his exploits at ETPS, his flight over Russia in a U-2, spinning trials on the Lightning and so on.
Eventually the 'mem' got fed up with this rubbish and tapped him on the shoulder and said "actually J*hn I used to play tennis with your wife when you were a junior pilot on the Canberra at Akrotiri"!
Instant hush! He did not take the transport to the hotel, and we only saw him again at briefing two days later, for a completely silent trip back to that Islamic paradise.

[barnstormer1968]

Thunderguts.
an interesting tale there, but I can't quite work out the name you disguised.
When you typed J*hn, could it have been 'frank' or 'Bernard'? Could you be a bit less secretive, so I at least have a chance to guess the name:}

At a function once, I did meet a chap who had been a blackbird pilot (CIA), and also a POW in Vietnam, but as he was guest of honour, I am hoping he was the real deal, and not some delivery driver for the local tesco's. Although I do remember a thread where Jim Shortt, was the chief instructor on an RAF course once!

[miles offtarget]

I do remember the 'Dark Shadow' from EGAA, didn't he have name badges made up to that effect... that he wore around the house only !

[alisoncc]

As we are discussing gongs in general, thought it might be an interesting variation to raise the issue of commemorative medals. The RAF Museum and the Royal British Legion are both actively "marketing" a "Cold War" Medal, for purchase of course. Some see them as a form of bling, whilst others wear them with a sense of pride.

A while back I learnt that commemorative medals have an honourable precedence in the UK. Watching an episode of Antiques Roadshow they displayed a Battle of Trafalgar commemorative medal that had been awarded to a midshipman on HMS Temeraire. Apparently the Temeraire drew the French fire off Nelson's Victory at a crucial time in the battle.

A commemorative medal was issued on the instructions of Queen Victoria to those who participated in the Battle - forty three years (43) after the event. Apparently the MoD of the time had done nothing immediately following, and, I suspect to minimise costs, it was only issued to survivors who were still alive, not descendants or relatives. Sounds typical. The fact that the MoD have passed the responsibility to the Royal British Legion for similar awards now doesn't, in my opinion, make them any less relevant.

Given the Berlin crisis of 1961 and the Cuban crisis of 1962, I would doubt that anyone can state that the Cold War wasn't for real in the early-mid sixties. Regular incursions by the Soviets meant many of us were on a war footing. Scrambling our Vulcans at 02.00 on a cold winters morning in Yorkshire was very much a front line activity. Who knows in 2032 - 43 years after 1991, it might be recognised officially as such.

The question I am posing is whether the Cold War was a real war, or just something made up by the politicians to scare the general populace, and whether wearing a commemorative medal to signify one's preparedness to man the barricades against the Soviet hordes is good or bad. Even if one does have to pay for it.

[davejb]

Campaign/commemorative medals should be for going to war, into places where there is at least a realistic prospect of being shot by the opposition. In my local Tesco in November there was an AEOp (sod this WSOp crap) with 5 or 6 campaign medals up flogging poppies - he's been nasty places more often that I did. I am quite happy not to have a cold war warrior medal, I am happy to concede that he, when push came to shove, put his nuts on the line more often than I did. You know what - he's earned his 'bling' more than I did. Odd idea, but you get medals for putting your nutsack on the anvil - why cheapen it (like some countries do) by handing out medals for doing sod all?

I have two medals, one for keeping out of trouble (and, to be honest, I only just managed that) and one for going to war... I would not feel any better about myself if I had 20 more medals to commemorate coming first in the flower show etc.

[Samuel]

At serious risk of returning to the actual topic...what happened to the imposter in question?

[Epiphany]

He has just signed a lucrative book deal and will be appearing on GMTV and Celebrity Big Brother Get Me Out Of Here.

[aseanaero]

A few years ago a met a very pleasant retired Indonesian Air Force pilot who claimed to be a Mig 17 and Mig 19 pilot who would occassionally drop by my office for a coffee looking for business opportunities and even brought photos of himself with the Migs. It was fascinating to talk to this guy as Indonesian pilots in those days were trained in Russia and Czechoslovakia

By coincidence I purchased a used B200 King Air from a government organisation which was run by a retired Marsekal Muda (Air Vice Marshall) , when I brought the 'mig pilot' up in conversation he knew this guy very well and he belly laughed, the facts were that the chap concerned had served in the same TU-16 sqaudron as the AVM and was a very competent TU-16 bomber pilot (impressive enough) but had never flown Mig17s or 19s and he was held back in his career (retired as a major) as he was a well known serial bullsh***er. He had trained in the eastern block and flown mig 15s but was selected for bombers.

I have another company that buys surplus from the Indonesian Air Force and this guy had nearly scored a part time job as a door opener on projects with the air force but since he wasn't straight with me, I now have a very attractive lady PR person doing the job. It's a real pity as the 'mig pilot' is in his early 70s and has no income other than his modest pension. When I tried to get him to tell his real story he just disappeared , sad really , the TU-16 was a damn impressive aircraft for it's day and I would have found the truth a lot more fascinating than fiction.

[Tankertrashnav]

A commemorative medal was issued on the instructions of Queen Victoria to those who participated in the Battle - forty three years (43) after the event.


As usual the Antiques Road Show only gets the story partly right! The Naval General Service Medal and the Military General Service Medal were issued in 1848 to all survivors from Military and Naval actions from 1793 onwards (including Trafalgar of course). They count as campaign medals, not commemorative medals. Prior to the NGS and MGS the only campaign medal which had been awarded to all ranks was the Waterloo medal of 1815.

I'm a cold-war warrior too and I certainly dont have any desire to have a medal for it! My own single GSM looks pretty insignificant compared to the chestful wore by some guys (and girls) now but I dont see the need to have any retrospective ones to make up the balance.

[sled dog]

In my day ( a long time ago ) you got a GSM for service in an operational theatre. then a Clasp was issued for any subsequent service in another theatre. When were Clasps discontinued and seperate medals issued ? My single gong with clasps seems insignificant compared to other people with multiple medals. Anyone else have any views ?

[PPRuNe Pop]

Idle curiosity, but what would a Waterloo medal fetch in hard cash. I wasn't there you understand! :eek:

[cobaltfrog]

The Waterloo Medal as issued in 1815, depends on who it was issued to.

if Heavy Cavalry then £1800-2000
Scots Greys - £2500-3000
Light Cav - £1500-1800
Royal Artillery - £1100-1300
RHA - £1200-1400
Foot Guards - 1st, 27th, 28th, 30th, 42nd, 44th, 52nd, 73rd, 79th, 92nd and 95th - £2300-2800
also rans - £1300-1600
Kings German Legion - £1000 ish
Colvilles Division - £1000 ish

Hope that helps!!

CF

[Tourist]

Ah, the irony of cobaltfrog posting on a walt thread.........

[parabellum]

PPRuNe Pop - I used Spinks to auction a medal for me, it was posthumously awarded to my great uncle for the defence of Mafeking, it was valued at GBP300 to GBP400 but a couple of people wanted it badly enough and it sold at GBP1250.00, so catalogue values are only a guide.

The defence of Mafeking medal is much more rare than the relief of Mafeking medal as there were not so many awarded.

[Tankertrashnav]

but what would a Waterloo medal fetch in hard cash.

Cobaltfrog makes a good point. In around 1988 I sold a Waterloo Medal to a Cornet (2nd Lieut equivalent) in the Scots Greys who was killed in the famous charge of the greys, often considered to be the turning point in the battle. Catalogue value then was around £250 and I got £850 for it. Now it would easily make £10k against a cat value of £3k.

Another one I wish I'd kept for the pension fund. Ho hum :(

Sled Dog - In answer to the question of multiple clasp GSMs, the later GSM which had been awarded for campaigns from 1962 on ceased to be awarded wef 31 July 2007, when eligibility for the 'Northern Ireland' clasp ceased. There were 13 clasps in all, the rarest being 'South Vietnam' which was only awarded to 70 Australian and (I believe) NZ recipients. The maximum number of clasps to one recipient was 6 (I got one!)

[Super 64]

How about the campaign medals that re being given out (Aust) for people who never actually enter the country for which the medal was cast.

Or getting two campaign medals for a single deployment (to conduct duty-free shopping), a AASM and never set foot inside either of the countries in conflict.

S64

[kiwi grey]

I'm fairly sure I remember a story (probably on PRuNe, but I can't find it) about a USAF F15 pilot who made a weather-related course diversion en route Iceland - UK, which took him over Northern Ireland (at 40,000 feet). The story went that he was surprised and embarrassed to subsequently receive an 'air combat' decoration for his activities in this hot combat zone
:confused:

[Feline]

AA - post #154:

You could join the Army before age 18 of course in those days, but the youngest age he'd have got onto Selection would have been early 20s, as he'd have to have done three years absolute minimum adult service, more like five in his first/parent regiment - I'm not sure many regulars did Selection before the age of 22, so it'd have been 1970 before he'd be in possession of his beige headgear.

Just a small point of order: You could actually have legitimately got your beige headgear (with badge) at the age of 18 (or perhaps younger?) - by way of 23rd SAS which, being a TA regiment, didn't insist of three years prior service. OK - not Regular, but still legit headgear.

Not that, in the 60's, 23 had any remote prospect of being allowed anywhere near any embassy, friendly or otherwise. More likely to be found on a cold, wet German hill/mountain, counting and identifying Russians passing by (and occasionally thieving Warsaw Pact supplies to keep body and soul together) ...

[airborne_artist]

Feline

Having served in 21 in the 80s I know the routes to the beige lid. A good mate went 21 -> 22, but had to serve a year in the Paras after passing 22 Selection. No-one that I knew of got to do 22 Selection from 21/23 with less than three years' TA service, so the timescales remain the same, and as you say, no-one in 21/23 would have picked up any medals at all, let alone that haul.

[Gainesy]

Totally NFI on the Cold War medal, wouldn't mind me Cold Weather Flying Jacket back though. Er, what happened to the good/bad kit thread anyway?

[str12]

kiwi grey

15 years ago I met a US Marines Captain on board an RN Minesweeper in Bremerhaven, Germany, during a VIP reception. After a couple of G&Ts the conversation focused on his medals and he sheepishly admitted that one was for being in the Northern Ireland combat zone...at 34 000 feet in Business Class on a US Airlines flight to Germany.

The p!ss was extracted from him for a while but he took it well.

The minesweeper had led the fleet into the Arabian Gulf before the ground assault of the the first Gulf War kicked off.

str12

[An Teallach]

Being bored, and reading this Waltery, I was prompted to look up the subject of What to do with a Walt? (http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/254011-what-do-walt.html) from way back in 2006.

It seems he's still sporting an MBE but has demoted himself from having been the only SSgt in the Black Watch to the humbler rank of Cpl. He still doesn't have the wit to realise that the honorary FRAM he has awarded himself does not stand for Member of the Royal Academy of Music link (http://www.adornmentandbagpipesnw.com/adornmentandbagpipes/EDWARDS_CAREER_.html).

I wonder if his new tome of humorous bagpiping anecdotes (http://www.adornmentandbagpipesnw.com/adornmentandbagpipes/LIST_OF_CREDIT.html) includes the night of 11 Nov 06 when he was exposed for the walting eejit that he is? Somehow I doubt it.

[Dan Winterland]

Flying the British Tanker on Operation provide Carpets (sorry, that should read Operation Provide Comfort) from Incirlik involved flying a towline over northern Iraq. The flight was very popular with the Americans because they qualified for another medal if they crossed the border. One pilot I flew with got on the PA and said:

"We have now just crossed over the border. Those of you who are in the Aerican forces can have another medal. Those of you in the British forces can have another cup of tea".

One medal which amuses me is the Purple Heart, awarded for being injured in combat. I have one friend who copped an AK47 round through the arm flying a Bird Dog, artillery spotting in vietnam. He flew home with one arm useless. He probably earned his, but I met one American who got his for tripping over a tent rope and breaking his ankle - the base was being shelled at the time. He was particularly embarrassed having to explain the circumstances of it's award!

But it must be very hard to spot an American Walt as they seem to have so may medals that to investigate them all must seem too daunting a task.




As for the award of British medals, the decisions regarding the award of the Kosovo medals was a travesty. One friend got hers as a supplier in Ancona, miles away from the action in Italy. She came back with a magnificent tan having spent most of the war on the beach, whereas people who were flying ''sausage side'' and getting SAMs shot at them weren't entitled to the gong because they hadn't flown the required 12 missions - or whatever the requirement was.

[VfrpilotPB/2]

Possibly this is something that goes back more years than most would think, I once embarrased a Antique/Junk shop owner who was attending to a old lady (80ish) who wished to raise a little money by selling her husbands medals, the tightwad offered her £5.00 for a set of 2nd WW medals, but I could clearly see the Burma Star was amongst the set on the bar, you didnt get that for doing nothing, so tight wad was succesful and parted with £5.00, I followed the lady outside and engaged her in conversation discovering she was very short of money she said she had to sell many things just to get by since her Albert had passed on, because she looked very much like my old dear departed maternal Granny, I possibly foolishly gave her a lump of cash and offered to drive her to her next destination, she refused the lift saying she had her bus pass, so off I went feeling a little better back into the tightwads shop, he was given the ultimatum give me those medals or you wont have any of my business ever again, one minute later I was slamming the door with the medal bar in my hand, when I showed this to my Old dad, he said it looked like some one had not been quite truthful with this bar of medals, he reasoned for a Lancshire Fusilier from the lower ranks to have served in Africa, Italy and Europe(covered by the relative Stars) he felt that the addition of the Burma Star, was possibly False, when I later offered the Burma Star Association in Blackpool the Star that I now had, I was told the named Fusilier was not known, So quite possible this sort of Medal fakery has been going on for a long time.

But I was still happy to help out the little Old Lady. I still have all the medals but am loath to sell them, for I feel it cheapens some bodys effort and possible injury to do that.

Peter R-B
Vfr

[lindslow]

One of my sisters old boyfriends ran the tale that he had been in the RAF as a pilot and even gave me some JP5 pilots notes with 'F/O ******' (his name) written on them.

I suspected he was telling porkies and some time later his Mum confirmed during general conversation at a party that he had been an airframe fitter!

Thankfully he's now an 'old boyfriend'

[barnstormer1968]

I was having a conversation recently, to do with claims/beliefs made by folks suffering mental illness. Why are the vast majority of walts from (well not really from, that is) well known groups. I have met quite a few CIA agents, and many handfuls of ex SAS troopers (including some of the many thousands from Prince's Gate). Virtually none are ex mossad or GRU, why is this?

Does anyone have any theories on this? Surely it would add mystique for someone to say that they had done something secret, but could not talk about it, and thus show (fake) integrity and loyalty. Also, I wonder what percentage of story tellers actually believe their own hype?

On the other hand, many walts (an obvious politcian, and Jim Shortt spring to mind), carry on with their stories regardless of challenge, and seem to do very well out of it.

Just my two penneth.

[Gainesy]

Walting as a JP stude? I'd stick to being a Fitter.:)

[Tankertrashnav]

Re Americans getting medals for briefly overflying combat zones, when I was posted from Seletar to Kai Tak in January 1968, I flew up in a Bristol Freighter of RNZAF which involved a refuelling stop at Qui Nhon in Vietnam. This was a fascinating 90 minutes, with Hueycobras and Hueys blackening the sky, the base being home to more helicopters than the RAF had on strength.

When I mentioned this to a US Army officer on R & R in HK, he told me I would have been entitled to the Vietnam Campaign medal just for landing in theatre, and some weeks later a boxed medal and ribbon bar duly arrived in the post from him. Needless to say I never tried to wear it, but it was a nice souvenir, and I can use it to back up my "when I was in 'Nam" tales when in Walt mode ;)

[ShyTorque]

Barnstormer, I could tell you - but then I'd have to kill you... :E

;)

[Storminnorm]

I did quite a lot of things that were secret.
That is to say, I never got caught.

[barnstormer1968]

ShyTorque

Originally by ShyTorque
Barnstormer, I could tell you - but then I'd have to kill you... :E

Thing is....What if I already knew what you told me:}, and then of course you would have broken OPSEC by telling me, so I would have to kill you too:E

Maybe you should just keep things to yourself, as it will save a lot of hassle!, and keep things simple.

Of course, I can't tell you If I already know, or I'd have to kill you:E

Oh no, here we go again:}

[Ian Corrigible]

Meanwhile, on this side of the pond:

SEAL faker pleads guilty in Stolen Valor case
MilitaryTimes (http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2010/01/navy_cg_faker_010710w/) Friday Jan 8, 2010

A retired Coast Guard chief warrant officer 2 who claimed to be a decorated and combat-hardened SEAL — and managed to get a disability rating from the government — has pleaded guilty to wearing combat awards he did not earn. Thomas Barnhart pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Roanoke, Va. to two counts of violating the Stolen Valor Act.

Barnhart served a combined 21 years in the Navy and the Coast Guard. He joined the Navy in 1969, then moved to the Coast Guard 10 years later, retiring in 1990. He entered the Coast Guard claiming to be a SEAL who had completed diving school and High Altitude-Low Opening parachutist school, according to court records.

He also claimed to have earned the Silver Star, Bronze Star with “V” for valor, Purple Heart with four stars, a Combat Action Ribbon and Vietnam War-era awards. The Coast Guard clerk bought the story and added the awards to Barnhart’s DD 214. Later DD 214 alterations would add a Navy Commendation with “V” device, Presidential Unit Citation with three stars, and Vietnamese Medal of Honor First and Second Class.

“Witnesses have stated that the defendant would spin yarns about his secret missions with the Navy SEALs and describe various combat situations in which he was wounded,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig “Jake” Jacobsen said in his comments to the court, which he provided to Navy Times. “As a result of what everyone believed, the defendant was promoted to warrant officer in the [Coast Guard] ahead of others, likely as a result of the defendant’s stellar ‘combat record.’ ”

Barnhart, who did serve off the coast of Vietnam in 1969 and 1970, retired Dec. 31, 1990, and applied for disability through the Department of Veterans Affairs less than a year later. By this time, he was passing himself off as a member of SEAL Team 1 with five Purple Hearts and a nomination for the Medal of Honor. He claimed a scar on his left forearm was the result of a gun shot, though VA medical records from 1987 said the injury was the result of his cutting himself on a piece of metal.

The VA claim was denied, but Barnhart was successful after giving it another try — this time with the help of his congressman — in 2005. This time, Barnhart claimed he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and pointed to his altered DD 214 to support his claim.

During a subsequent medical exam in Virginia Beach, Va., Barnhart told the examining physician he was a SEAL in Vietnam assigned to an elite HALO parachute unit. He claimed to have engaged in multiple combat missions and received two Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars and five Purple Hearts. But an alleged rescue of a downed pilot, seeing a soldier being blown up by a rocket and having a pilot die in his arms after their helicopter had been shot down led to his PTSD, he told the doctor.

“The awards keep growing. Then he is a SEAL, then he has all the heroics,” Jacobsen told Navy Times. “I’ve seen this in similar pattern in other cases. The phonies can’t help themselves. The awards and accolades always grow.”

Still, the VA decided in 2006 to award Barnhart a 30 percent disability rating for PTSD.

The case against him began when Mary Schantag of the POW Network got wind of the bogus claims. She began an exhaustive investigation that ultimately led to the state’s attorney’s office looking into the matter. On Jan. 25, 2008, he admitted his DD 214 was altered, and that he was neither a SEAL nor a combat veteran. By that time, Barnhart had received $13,923 for his fraudulent PTSD claim.

“He was very quiet and ’fessed up when he was arrested,” said Jacobsen, who is an Iraq war veteran. “He seemed sincere in his apologies and didn’t deny that he had fabricated his history.”

Barnhart’s sentencing is set for April 8 in Roanoke. He faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the theft of government funds and one year in prison and a $5,000 fine for claiming medals he did not earn, which is a misdemeanor. He also is required to pay back the $13,923 received from the VA for disability.
I/C

[Tankertrashnav]

Just heard on the radio news that Day has been found guilty of wearing medals to which he was not entitled (see earlier posts). No sentence as yet, I suspect he'll get some form of probation though. Doubt if he'll be getting 10 years or a six figure fine (see post above)!

[airborne_artist]

BBC News - Armistice Day marcher admits medals were not earned (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/8454415.stm)

"The court heard how Day had started to make up stories to impress his new wife, who was 24 years younger. He was sentenced to carry out 60 hours of community service."

[Load Toad]

Hopefully that 60 hours will be in a hospital helping to look after injured soldiers.

[Capetonian]

The court heard how Day had started to make up stories to impress his new wife, who was 24 years younger.

Ha ha ... I bet she's impressed now!

I did a Google search for a photo of Maxine Day (his wife). The best looking one that came up was ....

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/253/515892490_5f63a3da11.jpg

and she's far too good looking for knobhead like this one.

[newfieboy]

I was on a job last summer flying an airborne survey. Operator in the back of cab was a Russian right of the boat to Canuck land. First flight with this walt, he told me , if he didn;t like my flying he was gonna kick me out the door (in flight) and take over, cause he was a member of Spetsnaz, yeah right, the fat B####d was outta breath walking to the cookshack for his meals. Also figured he had been invited to emigrate to Canada cos the military wanted his advice on how to run JTF2. The W####r thought we were laughing with him, not at him Tosser.:D Must say if that was the calibre of Ivans Spec warriors, we would of had no trouble :ok:

[Capetonian]

It's like half the Rhodesians you meet pissed out of their skulls in pubs in Spain ... they were all Selous Scouts ... yeah right.

[Gainesy]

Barnhart, who did serve off the coast of Vietnam in 1969 and 1970

Hey, neat, so did I, really.

It was well off the coast mind, Cyprus to be precise.

[Satellite_Driver]

Rather like the US exchange officer I used to work with, who would joke that in early '91 he was in a ship in 'the Gulf'. Specifically, the Gulf of Mexico.

[Tankertrashnav]

Just spotted in yesterday's Times that Day has had his sentence quashed and legal costs paid because the 1955 Army Act (see posts above) under which he was convicted had been replaced by the Armed Forces Act 11 days before his offence! Interesting, in view of the info which Satellite Driver posted at #185. Presumably that extension didnt happen.

Lets hope he'd already done a fair bit of his community service, but the main thing, I suppose, is that he won't be repeating his masquerade any time soon

[November4]

Post #166 by Dininagain on 12 Dec 2009

Interesting. If the plod have charged Mr Day under the Army Act 1955, he may well find himself released in fairly short order.

I'm lead to believe the said Act became defunct as of 0001 hrs on 30 Oct 09, to be replaced by the Armed Forces Act 2006 (AFA06).

Who needs a lawyer when you can come to PPRuNe....perhaps that's where the defence found the grounds to appeal or CPS read and realised that they had got it wrong.....again.

[Daf Hucker]

From The Sun (I know!)

Last night Day, who was at a march in Bedworth, Warwicks, said: "I am considering legal action against all those who muddied my name."

And he told reporters: "I'm vindicated. I've a big story to tell but I want a good price."

Wife Maxine, 38, said: "My husband did nothing illegal."

Maybe not illegal, but absolutely immoral, mind you by his comments, he doesn't appear to have a conscience! :mad:

[glad rag]

And he told reporters: "I'm vindicated. I've a big story to tell but I want a good price."

Think he'll get any offers ?

[Fat Chris]

I reckon our man needs one of these beauties, if he wants to continue to make his hole bigger......

http://www.sendoganturk.com/images/JCB-3CX-Backhoe-K.jpg

[Lima Juliet]

This makes me very cross! :*

Anyone remember the film "True Lies" when Arnie "visits" the guy who is pretending to be a secret agent to try and shag his wife? How about the gentlemen from Credenhill pay him an unofficial visit for some special attention? That would get my vote :ok:

I'm not advocating bodily harm - just make his life a pigging misery for being a total c0ck!

Grrrrr!

[dallas]

Interestingly, he admitted his fakery earlier in the trial:

Fantasist Roger Day wore haul of fake medals on Remembrance Day march 'to impress his young wife' | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1242608/Fantasist-Roger-Day-wore-haul-fake-medals-Remembrance-Day-march-impress-young-wife.html)

...so you've kind of got to wonder about the bloke's mental health if he now thinks a technical dismissal is 'vindication'.

[vecvechookattack]

Totally agree....this chap isn't all there and probably needs some medical help...I feel a little bit sorry for his wife who did her best to help but somehow this all seems to be her fault.....when it isnt at all...

[Pontius Navigator]

15 years ago I met a US Marines Captain on board an RN Minesweeper in Bremerhaven, Germany, during a VIP reception. After a couple of G&Ts the conversation focused on his medals and he sheepishly admitted that one was for being in the Northern Ireland combat zone...at 34 000 feet in Business Class on a US Airlines flight to Germany.

Went to Salalah once. That was a war zone but only up to FL100. As we were at FL500 at the time the controller told us we were well clear and no traffic our level. :}

[jindabyne]

PN

Silly post - some of us were on the ground

[cazatou]

As an undesirable Gulf nightstop in the '60s I think Salalah was only bested by Firq/Saiq -Firq being the landing strip at the bottom of the Hill and Saiq being the very, very short landing strip and "accomodation" 2/3rds of the way up the 3500'(?) Hill.

Beit el Falaj was "interesting" !!

[Thud_and_Blunder]

A bit out on yer measurements there Cazatou - Saiq is at 6300 ft amsl (should know, was part of the SOAF March-and-Shoot team that climbed it from the bottom of the main wadi). Don't seem to remember the Skyvans having any probs, and our 205s could still lift more than a Wessex at that altitude on our way up to the hill villages at 8500 ft. Jebel Shams - the top of Jebel Akhdar - is plus/minus a very few feet of 10,000.

As for the war zone only going up to FL100, that was before SAM7b appeared on the scene - I believe (teeteringhead will be able to confirm) that forced things up to around 12000 feet agl.

[Old-Duffer]

Don't know anything about height levels but my old chum John "Hector" Heathcote got shot down by a SAM and so it a chap called Peter Davis (unusual in that he had an MC from the Gurkhas, a DFC from the RAF and another gallantry medal from the Sultan).

O-D

[StbdD]

I'm fairly sure I remember a story (probably on PRuNe, but I can't find it) about a USAF F15 pilot who made a weather-related course diversion en route Iceland - UK, which took him over Northern Ireland (at 40,000 feet). The story went that he was surprised and embarrassed to subsequently receive an 'air combat' decoration for his activities in this hot combat zone

15 years ago I met a US Marines Captain on board an RN Minesweeper in Bremerhaven, Germany, during a VIP reception. After a couple of G&Ts the conversation focused on his medals and he sheepishly admitted that one was for being in the Northern Ireland combat zone...at 34 000 feet in Business Class on a US Airlines flight to Germany.

Got any good ones about ships and lighthouses?

Considering that NI wasn't a combat zone for the US and those two 'this is no-****' stories sound so much alike I think we can throw the bull**** flag on them.

[cazatou]

T & B

Thanks for the correction - it was (after all) 42 years ago and I did put a question mark; memories blur a bit with age.

I never got sent to a Country whose name began with the letter "X" because there isn't one - Xanadu exists only in the realm of a popular song. I managed, however, to get a "tick" against every other letter of the alphabet. I would not recommend Greenland in February - it was minus 47C.

[Union Jack]

Xanadu exists only in the realm of a popular song

For Heaven's sake please don't tell Mr S T Coleridge!:)

Jack

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Ta for that Kreuger - my bad, as my son tells me they say on t'internet these days.

I should've checked, of course. I keep a framed 1:100,000 map of the area from the "new" (well, it was in 1982) survey as it's such a beautiful example of the cartographer's art. Sure 'nuff, the runway at Saiq is labelled as 6508' - I was using the figure we derived from the old photo-survey-based charts which only had spot-heights in odd places.

[Navy_Adversary]

There was something in the Leicester Mercury about the imposter selling the medals on Ebay for around £350-400 quid, hopefully he sent the proceeds to H4H or RAF Ben fund.

SAS imposter Roger Day, medals bogus, Earl Shilton, leicestershire (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/SAS-hoaxer-sparks-fury-selling-bogus-medals/article-1958282-detail/article.html)

[Ian Corrigible]

Some positive news from this side of the pond: Congress passes ‘Stolen Valor Act’ to criminalize lying about military medals (http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/congress-criminalize-lying-military-medals.php)

I/C