Reply With QuoteThanks for the link, made a good read.
I new of a fella who sat in the pub telling tales of how he lost his leg whilst serving in the Army, only to be seen the next day out jogging (two legs all good) in shorts by the landlord!
Not so clever.
Whilst Vice magazine seems to get an undue hard time for being a little daft at times (many excellent articles and video reports) this shows they do run interesting pieces. Sure it'll be of interest to some of the forces chaps on here; whom are no doubt aware of the activities of the Walt Hunters anyway
http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/walte...nters-club-280
Thanks for the link, made a good read.
I new of a fella who sat in the pub telling tales of how he lost his leg whilst serving in the Army, only to be seen the next day out jogging (two legs all good) in shorts by the landlord!
Not so clever.
Loads of fantasists out there, "Second man on the balcony during the Iranian embassy siege" and more recently, "I shot Bin Laden".
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
thanks for the interesting read... makes you wonder
Guy in our town claimed to be a Falklands veteran who went on to Captain a nuclear sub, insisted he was addressed as Captain and had lots of photographs of his ‘commands’ on the office wall. He attended memorial ceremonies in full dress uniform complete with medals and even managed to get Simon Weston to open his new business premises. He finally got caught when he tried to get his driving licence changed from ‘Mr’ to ‘Captain’.
I think his initial lie was probably made to help his business but it went on that long he’d convinced himself and his family it was true.I just wonder what was going through his head when he met people who had genuinely served.
They should introduce a Stolen Valor Act like in the states. It might stop these loons. It's especially bad when they are using them to set up businesses.
That's mental. How was he planning on keeping that charade up :)Originally Posted by Essexman
Try living Hereford way, loads of walts.
A good number of the squad that actually did were killed in a later incident - downed helicopter
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_...in_Afghanistan
Gray
I find those who seek to uncover "Walts" just as sad as those who pretend to be soldiers.
Who cares?
Luckily I jumped out just before it hit the ground
Gray
Well played sir! :-)
I have done a bit of acting a modelling for a disabled agency. Usually work as an extra or presenting a piece with disability involved.
I was asked to do a photo shoot for the British Legion, the title of the piece was Help a Hero.
An Artillery hero from the Falklands war was chosen as the poppy appeal pin up. He was approached, but at the last minute refused to be photographed. He lived with PTSD and had lost a leg. As I was the same age I was asked to step in. I wore the same uniform and portrayed him in the shoot. 200,000 of the envelopes were distributed. I'll post the image when I can find it.
I never met the chap I portrayed but joined BLESMA as a affiliated member which is one of my given charities. I feel privilaged to have represented this man and his regiment I hope his sacrifice is appreciated and that he can live with it.
In 1974 I nearly joined the Royal Navy even spent a weekend on HMS Fife, but to my Uncles disgust I would not take the Queens shilling. So I might well have served in the Falklands if I had signed up.
Last edited by wildheart; 13th November 2014 at 00:46.
My grandfather enlisted at 14 years old. He never talked about it until in his eighties. When, as a child, I asked him if he shot anyone in the war, his reply was "Maybe one or two!" He was a machine gunner. On reading later reports about the Machine Gun Corps, he must have been in some horrific battles. Always at the front during attacks and protecting the rear during retreats. They weren't called "the suicide squad" for nothing. I'm amazed that he survived at all.
Mike
I can't understand where some people get the brass neck. I worked Security at a local University a few years back and we had a guy who liked to tell tales of his daring exploits with the paras. Everyone took it with a pinch of salt for a while until he went a step too far, said he choked out Gerry Adams with the butt of his SLR in Northern Ireland, so someone finally called him out. He went quiet for a while and that seemed to be the end of it until he drew attention to himself sneaking off once too often with one of the patrol vehicles...turns out as soon as he was on his own in the van he'd take the security epaulettes off his body armour and replace them with police ones off ebay! He'd then drive around dressed as a copper and make house calls to women he was blagging on adult dating sites!
University night guard ..........body armour lol.
That'd mainly be for the used needles went they get sent to shift someone sleeping rough in a city centre doorway at 2am that doesn't want shifting.
Long hours, sore feet, wind and rain, endless 'plastic copper' jokes...glad I don't do it anymore and I don't begrudge those that still do a little bit of protection.
Having never served in the forces, I am proud and very respectful of those that have both alive and dead, those that pretend, play and just plain lie about serving take the pi*s out of the courageous men and women that go to war in our name, I may not agree with some of the wars we get involved in but those pretending to have faced those horrors should be hounded and exposed.
That's my 10ps worth.
I don't really think he thought that far ahead, or maybe with all the free beers he had he forgot what he told everyone the night before.
I'd not seen that for years...brilliant, what a shame he's no longer with us.
Judging by the three pubs I frequent, and multiplying by the number of pubs in the uk, there have been approximately 315,000 serving members of the SAS.
I think that this sort of of law is a really bad idea, and I'm glad it was ruled unconstitutional. It is right that there are laws against fraud, but a general law against lying about this sort of thing goes way too far.
Best wishes,
Bob
USCG 1974-1978 ;)
I was in the TA Cheshire Regiment in the early 90's with the only action I saw being during queens licensing hours at the Company bar. I kept my cap badge as a souvenir but would never dream of wearing it at a memorial service!
They are hunting fake force veterans?
Looks like I'd better ditch my Obi Wan Kenobi costume.
I remember reading about Roger Day. One look at the rows of medals on his chest would be enough I guess to proclaim him a Walt.
It's surprising the lengths people go to to attempt to impress others.
Cheers,
Neil.
It always amuses me when I get introduced or meet people who claim to be in the military... I tend to ask probing and pertinent questions until they know that I know that they are bullshitting! I once met someone claiming to be a Merlin pilot, interestingly he also claimed he was on my Squadron and I yet somehow I had never met him!!
Seems he was charged under the Military Act 1955, got community service and a small fine as well as public humiliation and had his medals confiscated.
I was once invited to a round table dress event where the members wear various medals ! awarded to them for service to round table ….
Anyway to cuts long story short One guy sitting at our table had a rather noticeable medal and never got involved as the chat turned to what award was for what service . (Chairman, community chairman etc )Eventually the oldest and most awarded of the bunch turned to the visitor pointed at his chest and loudly joked asking what that unknown piece of bright ware was ?
Military Medal was the blunt answer
Never have I seen two such well timed words put down such a brave table of red faced bright shirt wearing baboons ..
Oh and it was genuine by the way
I just as a civilian who has never served find it the ultimate insult to any forces personal living or dead to wear any kind of awards without having earned sic .
I was wandering through Asheville, North Carolina, when some chap in a wheelchair came up to me and asked me to help out a veteran, I got out my wallet and gave him some cash. The cyclist in lairy lycra that was walking 10 yards behind them then approached me, told me that he was a police officer (ah a lycra blue and yellow police uniform!) and asked if the gentlemen had said that he was a veteran. Not knowing that it was illegal in the states to impersonate a veteran I said he did.
Seems he made a habit of this. From what I overheard he was then due in court the next day - I don't know what the punishment would be, but when I saw him around town later he wasn't looking very happy.
Likewise. I have a high regard for anyone that is signed up and sent out to fight for our rights; whether I believe in the cause or not. I'm offended by anyone trying to make money from pretending to have been a member of the forces. What I am absolutely appalled at, is hearing from a friend that there have been fake collectors about taking money from the good causes.
- people who steal money from charity boxes, or impersonate charities for their own benefit are scum imho.
I do see a certain similarity in the workplace, as I do with some Mitty types though - i.e. those who always take credit for others actions or good deeds!
It's just a matter of time...
My father's father was mentally scarred for the rest of his life by WW2. He also used to go and see a neighbour who was even worse off and the week after he told this chap he could no longer see him the chap hung himself. I suspect there are many people out there (although not so many as there were now there are few WW2 survivors left) who don't wish to be reminded of war and I would imagine for them seeing people dressing up pretending to have served in the Armed Forces disrespectful is just the start.
Initially yes he did but all charges were dropped as the law changed 11 days before the parade he was in; his medals were handed back to him and his wife sold them on ebay for £386.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-eBay-386.html
Amazingly brazen:
Remembrance Day 'sergeant' Franck Gervais not in the military, DND says
Franck Gervais, a man who claimed to be a decorated soldier during Tuesday's Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, is an imposter, CBC News has confirmed.
The Department of National Defence said Gervais, who was interviewed during CBC 's Remembrance Day Special, is not a member of the Canadian Forces.
A number of veterans and soldiers called CBC after seeing Gervais speaking as a "sergeant" on television to question the veracity of Gervais's status as a soldier.
It is an offence to wear a current military uniform if you are not a serving member.
"Falsely impersonating a Canadian Armed Forces member is an issue to be taken seriously and is covered under Section 419 of the Criminal Code of Canada," a spokesperson for the Defence Department said in an emailed statement. "Such activities are a disservice to the proud men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, who earn the right to wear their uniforms through their hard work and the sacrifices they make for our country."
CBC News spoke with Gervais's wife, and she declined to comment. CBC has not been able to reach Gervais.
The CBC issued a statement Wednesday: "During CBC's extensive coverage of Remembrance Day commemorations in Ottawa, we interviewed many veterans and serving members of the Canadian Forces. These included one man who had been standing among a group of uniformed personnel. To civilian eyes, he appeared to be an authentic soldier," the statement said.
"We have since learned that he was not, that his uniform was not correct, and that he was wearing medals he had not earned. All this was drawn to our attention by veterans and serving members, who were understandably angry at seeing this counterfeit soldier. We regret this, and are following up to learn more about the man."
A bit more on this chap:
Phoney soldier at Remembrance Day? Questions raised about man interviewed at Ottawa ceremony
Among the apparent incongruities cited by a Canadian Forces warrant officer: The man portraying himself as a soldier wore a pathfinders badge, an advanced reconnaissance award worn by a select few soldiers; the beret perched on his head was too small; he should have been wearing a red sash over his shoulder, something all infantry NCOs wear when in dress uniform with their medals; he wore an outdated brigade patch on his right shoulder; and his beaver-shaped collar dogs were crooked.
Outrage has erupted against an impostor who allegedly passed himself off as a Canadian soldier during this week’s Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial.
Members of the public and the military community say a man who identified himself during a nationally televised interview as Franck Gervais as a coward who should be charged for impersonating a soldier.
Hundreds of comments poured in after the Citizen’s story on Gervais was published. Readers say his actions were an insult to the military and concerning that he was posing as a soldier during a high security event.
“This is disgraceful for someone to impersonate a soldier on the day that we honour the real men and woman of this country who fought so that we can have the freedom that we enjoy. What a fraud,” one reader wrote.
Questions remained Thursday about where Gervais got the uniform. The Department of National Defence says it has no record of any employee by the name of Franck Gervais — or Sgt. Franck Gervais.
CBC reporter Diana Swain interviewed the man, who was wearing the uniform of a senior non-commissioned officer in the Royal Canadian Regiment.
“For me it’s really important to remember that people have fought for our freedom. They didn’t fight for themselves,” the man told the network.
He also spoke to a Citizen reporter Tuesday, saying in comments not previously printed: “We fought together. It’s brothers.”
Halfway across the country, Warrant Officer Michael Womack was watching the TV interview in Wainwright, Alta., as he prepared for his own unit’s Nov. 11 ceremony.
Something about it just didn’t seem right, he says.
“I saw the interview and I was like, ‘Wait a second, I should know him because that’s an RCR cap badge and a maroon beret.’ I didn’t know him, so I said to my wife, ‘Something’s not right here.’”
CBC reporter Diana Swain interviewed this man at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa on Tuesday. Sharp-eyed observers say details about his uniform don’t add up.
After the ceremony at Garrison Wainwright, Womack went home and re-watched his recording of the Ottawa ceremony.
“Everything about him was wrong,” Womack said.
Among the apparent incongruities cited by Womack: The man portraying himself as a soldier wore a pathfinders badge, an advanced reconnaissance award worn by a select few soldiers; the beret perched on his head was too small; he should have been wearing a red sash over his shoulder, something all infantry NCOs wear when in dress uniform with their medals; he wore an outdated brigade patch on his right shoulder; and his beaver-shaped collar dogs were crooked.
“No NCO worth his salt would have gone anywhere in public without them perfectly lined up,” Womack said.
The interviewed man also wore a Governor General’s Bravery Medal. A quick check of the Rideau Hall website shows that no one with his name has earned the honour.
The Citizen tried but was unable to reach Gervais on Wednesday. The CBC reported that it had reached his wife, but that she declined to comment.
Womack spread the word on social media to others in the military and passed along his findings to the military chain of command.
The matter will likely be turned over to Ottawa police since the military police have no jurisdiction.
It is a Criminal Code offence to impersonate a soldier.
Womack’s own sleuthing found the man’s name and address, and he heard from another soldier who said he recognized the man from cadets. He also has heard reports that the man bought some of his RCR regalia on the website Kijiji a few days before the Remembrance Day ceremony.
“He would pass — and did pass — cursory inspection,” by a civilian, Womack said.
I must admit I feel in a lesser but similar way about these people that go around "re enacting" WWII by dressing up as soldiers and rather a lot unfortunately seem to get a thrill dressing up in Nazi/SS uniforms.
I don't feel the same about the Sealed knot and others who recreate civil war scenes and the like but I think WWII is still a bit too recent in people's memories.
Cheers,
Neil.
Absolute gold, right up there with The Only Fools & Horses bar fall scene
RIAC
There is a facebook group for outing Mitty heroes.
Arse just read the op,s link.
Last edited by Middo; 15th November 2014 at 19:09. Reason: Buffoonery
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