Oops! 2 days after my last post, our Reverend President was mown down in a weekend of carnage on Scottish roads. A great shame, he was a fine chap.
However, to finish the McMitty saga. The dirty deed of the outing has been done. Here is the exchange verbatim except for that which is in squared brackets to try to preserve anonymity. It gives an interesting insight into the delusional mind. It's a shame really, he came across as a nice chap on meeting him.
13 February 2007: Walt to AT
[AT] could you please let us know whats going on, being out of the country no news you know! Cheers mate!
14 Feb 07: AT to Walt
Dear [Walt]
[The event] went well and was well attended, please pass on my thanks to [Mrs McMitty] for the work she put in.
That said, I regret to inform you that following the Annual Gathering, we made enquiries of the Black Watch and they deny having known you. I presume it was you who made the entry [on Wikipedia for McMitty, SSGT Walter], (537967) Black Watch from IP Address [*****] at 15:02 on 17 Sep 06.
I should inform you that the Army number 537967 would belong to a commissioned officer. The rank SSGT would be written as Staff Sgt in such a list, but that is academic since there are no Staff Sgts in the Black Watch; the infantry have Colour Sgts. Furthermore, in a formal list the regiment would be listed as The Black Watch (RHR).
The [Committee] considered the evidence from Wikipedia, other internet information which places you in the USA in 1997 and the reply from the Black Watch and we concluded that you were wearing medals and claiming service to which you were not entitled, commonly known as “Walting.” A particularly distasteful gesture as the event occurred on Remembrance Day.
As the Wikipedia entry was made in Sep 2006, we can only conclude that [Mrs McMitty] was ‘in on’ the attempted deception. We have therefore decided that we shall not take a subscription from either of you for 2007 or in the future and you should no longer consider yourselves members of the [Society].
15 Feb 07: Walt to AT
This is bull**** [AT], and you know it. I know who came up with this crap, [M] and [N] right! I was wearing medels of my father and grandfather, which Im legally entitled to wear and which I never said were mine, and I was in the ROTC of the Black Watch. So just basing evidence on this wiki web site which by the way is not a .org web site which can not be fully trusted, and some other web sites, and then blaming [Mrs McMitty]! What the hell mate, I guess maybe [Mrs McMitty] and I were right about the [societies] then, they never change do they. I regret that [Mrs McMitty] put so much into getting the event ready for YOU and the others. What a waste that you are believing web sites such as thoughs.
15 Feb 07: AT to Walt
Dear [Walt]
Thank you for your e-mail. The exposure of your walting had nothing to do with [M] and [N], it was the Ex-Servicemen at the gathering that noticed something was amiss, myself included. We did not get confirmation from the Black Watch until the Thursday before you left.
You are not entitled to wear miniatures of your father’s and/or grandfather’s medals. Full size medals of parents or spouses may be worn at remembrance events only on the right breast (not the left) by widow(er)s or children. The Black Watch doesn’t have an ROTC (no British Army unit does) and you told me and others that night that you had served in the Black Watch.
No-one “blamed” (your word) [Mrs McMitty]. However, it is unfortunate for your professed denials that she had you listed as “Piper: [Walter McMitty] MBE” in the programme for the Annual Gathering. As you’ll see from these links, the trail of your walting on the web extends well beyond Wikipedia:
[link to archived version of a tour site for which he worked as a guide]
[Walter McMitty] was born in England, and moved throughout the world as he was growing up. He has experienced almost everything on the 'adventurer's to-do list': from climbing China's Great Wall to walking the plains of Russia to hiking Mount Kilimanjaro before the age of 20. An experienced bagpiper, [Walter] served as a medic in the British Army. He is completing his master's degree in Scottish history, and loves reading, hiking and playing the pipes ... as well as exploring castles.
[link to his Alma Mater in the USA]
From England to Connecticut, to Washington State, to Hong Kong, to Scotland…this is the winding path of [Walter McMitty] ’88, soldier, historian, teacher and bagpiper extraordinaire.
And, of course, to top it all, your own website:
[link to his ‘wedding piper’ website]
Sergeant in the Royal Highland Regimental The Black Watch Pipe Band for 12 years and trained as a medic. …
List of Credits Winner of 2 gold and 4 silver piping awards M.B.E. (Member of the British Empire) F.H.S. (Fellow of Historical Society) Hon. F.R.A.M. (Honorary Member Royal Academy of Music)
It is patently obvious from your lack of knowledge of the British Army that you have never served in it and if the Royal Academy of Music has ever heard of you, I’m a monkey’s uncle.
It is a pity, you struck me as a nice guy. However, if I may offer some advice, I would recommend that you ditch your delusional past and decorations and concentrate on getting on with life. That future will be without [the society].
I wish you and [Mrs McMitty] well.
16 Feb 07: Walt to AT
Oh and by the way [AT]. I know that us leaving you in the lurch with leaving due to [Mrs McMitty]’s visa problem. When I emailed you, it was about [the President’s] funeral, you emailing us back with this very rude email about army ****, now I remember why I left Britain before. You Scottish are the ruddist people. [M] and [N] I can understand, they are just stuid, but for you to say the things you did about [Mrs McMitty] after what she did for you, rude. She and were right when we talked to [the President], that [committee] was a waste of our time, and I guess we cant think of you as a friend now. Sorry, but just think about what you said, and the way it was put. Rude, but being Scottish, I guess you dont know the difference of being rude is, no wonder it was so easy for the English to take over Scotland! Stuid and rude, oh well I no longer want to be part of [the Society] anymore, nor does [Mrs McMitty], rude, rude rude is what you guys are to us!