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Stolen Valour
Stolen Valour
Stupar
Frank John STUPAR was born at Trieste, Italy, on 4 April 1940.
He enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy on 28 April 1958, was given service number R54305, and trained at HMAS Cerberus. His service included postings on several Destroyers, a Frigate and a Mine Sweeper He carried out active service in Malaya/Borneo on two occasions but never in Vietnam or it's waters.
He was discharged from the service at HMAS Harman, Canberra, on 27 April 1967 after nine years service. At the time of his discharge, Stupar held the rank of Able Seaman and from his service, was eligible for the following medals:
Naval General Service Medal 1915 - 1962; Eligibility not clearly established.
General Service Medal 1962; and, in 1997 became eligible for the Australian Active Service Medal (1945-75) for his Malayan Peninsular/Borneo service and the Australian Defence Medal, in 2006.
On the eve of Anzac Day 2006, Stupar attended a semi formal dinner with a number of RAN Veterans and introduced himself as an "ex-RAN Vietnam Veteran". No medals were worn at the dinner by any of the attendees.
During the course of the evening, Stupar regaled those present with a number of stories that were so outrageous, they were unbelievable. Stupar must be a real dill to think he could pull the wool over the eyes of some of these crusty old salts whose service entitled most of them to be classified as 'lifers'.
He stated that he was on a patrol boat that sailed up the Mekong Delta and emphasised that it was a secret mission that had never been disclosed. ("Top Secret" is a common wannabe phrase that is used to circumvent any questions about their fantasy stories.)
He also stated that he was a survivor of the HMAS VOYAGER tragedy, when the Voyager was cut in half and sunk by the HMAS Melbourne off Jervis Bay during exercises on 10 February 1964, with the tragic loss of 82 lives. Sure Frank - nobody would think to check. Especially when, by spouting his big-noting fantasies this wannabe steals the honour of those who perished and denigrates the many survivors who have battled since 1964 to come to terms with the tragedy. The survivors suffered the trauma of the accident, their rescue at night and the further trauma of having to endure two Royal Commissions which failed to make any findings that would enable them to get on with their lives and careers.
Stupar's stories were so far fetched that after the dinner, several of the group checked the Vietnam Veterans Nominal Roll and the Ships Crew list of HMAS VOYAGER at the time of the collision in 1964. Stupar did not appear on either list.
On Anzac Day at Yarrawonga, which is situated west of Albury on the Murray River, there are two marches. The first is at Mulwala on the north bank of the river, the second is at Yarrawonga on the south bank of the river.
Stupar marched in the first march at Mulwala and was photographed by a reporter from the local paper, the Yarrawonga Chronicle. He is second from the left in the photograph, wearing a substantial rack of medals, sticking out his chest with pride, or is it arrogance, after having told the reporter that he was a Petty Officer. He was discharged an Able Seaman.
Stupar is shown wearing the following medals:
General Service Medal 1962......................qualified by 2nd tour of duty Borneo/Malay Peninsular
Australian Service Medal 1945-75...............no qualification - Stupar served 29 days during his 1st trip to Malaysian waters. This medal requires 30 days service.
Naval General Service Medal.....................No qualification - requires 180 days service, not 29
Australian Active Service Medal................ qualified - awarded GSM 1962.
Vietnam Medal............................................no qualification
Vietnam Campaign Medal...........................no qualification
Luckily for him, Stupar had shot through before his dinner companions marched in the second march at Yarrawonga. After his lies of the previous evening, and the associated lack of respect shown to the victims and survivors of the crew of the HMAS Voyager by his stories of being one of them, he would have had to face a 'jury of his peers', who now have no respect for him.
They would have had more anger and even less respect for him if they had seen him marching at the Anzac Day march wearing medals from the Vietnam War that he has no entitlement to wear.
How low can you go Frank? Wearing medals that were not awarded, falsely claiming war service, and publicly posing amongst genuine Veterans on the most sacred of days in any proud Veterans calendar. You are a pathetic little man.
When the RAN Veterans returned to their various homes after the reunion and march at Yarrawonga, ANZMI was contacted and advised of Stupar's stupidity and an investigation was carried out by our researchers.
Our research is supported by statutory declarations, copies of official documents obtained from the National Archives of Australia, and cross referenced against numerous government and ex-service organisation web sites, the Vietnam Veterans Nominal Roll, HMAS Voyager Crew Lists, books about the Voyager disaster and transcripts of the two Royal Commissions into the sinking of HMAS Voyager.
As is our standard operating procedure prior to publishing the results of our research, Frank Stupar was contacted by ANZMI and asked to provide evidence to support his claims of 'top secret' missions during the Vietnam War.
As is common when we ask questions of wannabes, that seemingly have no answers, we have received no contact whatsoever from Stupar. He has failed to face up to his shortcomings.
We at ANZMI sincerely hope he will be sufficiently embarrassed by this exposure of his bogus medal displays and 'Hollywood' style yarns and will refrain from repeating his Anzac Day 2006 performance. We urge him to be satisfied with his achievements, the service he has given to his country, and wear with pride the medals he has been awarded for that service.
Phillip Island RSL (sub-branch) might wish to check on exactly what Naval service Stupar noted on his application form.
Information on the HMAS VOYAGER tragedy can easily be found on the internet.
This is published in the public interest, particularly that of the Vietnam Veteran Community. All information presented here is fact and the truth. Reports from private citizens are supported by statements of fact and statutory declarations.
DiTullio
Alfonso DiTullio
A man who served with the Army Reserve and claimed to have served in Namibia and Rwanda with the Royal Australian Regiment, Infantry. He also claimed to be the only member alive from his squad/platoon as the rest had committed suicide. Another disgraced RSL executive officer. How many more are out there? There are quite a few, another RSL President poseur will appear on this page soon. As we wrote some time ago, the RSL is a breeding ground for wannabes and here's further proof.
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This is one of the rare "good news, bad news" stories we get to present now and again. The good news is that members of an RSL actually had the courage to front one of their number before a committee and charge him with impersonation of a Soldier who had seen Active Service and also medals fraud before ANZMI got involved.We applaud these members. |
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Alfonso DiTullio was the President of the Cockburn RSL Sub-Branch and the bad news is about the hurt and damage he has perpetrated on those who regarded him as a friend. He has been dismissed from the RSL, his name removed from the honour board, and a formal report on proceedings sent to the Western Australia RSL State HQ. On 4 January this year we received a report about DiTullio, outlining suspicions that he had never served overseas with UN missions as he had claimed for around 10 years in Cockburn. This report and a follow up are presented verbatim below, ANZMI comments and notes in blue. Only the person's name and that of DiTullio's brothers and their units were removed. 4 January 2007 I have another possible candidate who may cause me personal embarrassment if my suspicions are proved right. I refer to the current President of the City of Cockburn RSL - Alf Di Tullio, who claims service in Namibia and Rwanda as an RAR member.Without saying what set off my suspicions, I will lay out what I know. I first met Alf in the mid 1990's when he joined the Sub Branch. (DiTullio was the sub-branch president from February 2006 without having served on the committee in other positions prior to this) He told of being in the Army but had retired a couple of years ago. He did tell what I thought were tall stories then, but I wrote them off as ANZAC Day tales. At that time he did say he had been a Sergant, but had been busted back to corporal for what was an assault on a fellow soldier who he had caught sleeping with his wife. His mother (who he still lives with) tells other members that he has never been married, also she has told a different member that he was only a reservist and never in the full time Army. About two years ago, by which time we were good friends, he found out that I was going on a business trip to Sydney. Prior to me going he asked if I would go to Christies in Sydney and pick up an AASM and ASM for him, as his were in a bank vault and difficult to get out. (Australian Active Service Medal & Australian Service Medal) He had never worn medals before! Anyway, I agreed and asked him what bar he needed. He stated "Namibia" for both as he had been there for the UNTAG (United Nations Transition Assistance Group) deployment. Looking at the Australian Peacekeepers web site and other related web sites they only mention that Australian Army Engineers went to Namibia, no mention of RAR (Infantry) soldiers that I can find. Further, the original medal awarded was the ASM, but I recall reading somewhere that this was replaced with the AASM, providing you returned your initially issued ASM. I guess that this would also apply to the change in Rwanda's status? They were also issued the UNTAG medal, which he doesn't have. I also note that the Rwanda vets were issued the UNMIR (United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda) medal, also something he doesn't have! As my suspicions were aroused by last weekend, I casually mentioned that there was another medal for Rwanda. The reply I got was "oh yeah which one?" When I mentioned that it was a UN medal he launched into a tirade that he didn't want it, that he had written to the UN about their performance in Bosnia etc,etc,etc. He then added that he had refused his Namibia one also. Call me dumb and I am happy to stand corrected, but how do you refuse a medal that Honours and Awards either posts to your home address, or your personnel section for presentation by your CO? If you don't want to wear a particular medal, you simply don't wear it! Understanding that the medal entitlements to both deployments have changed, he still is not wearing the correct Bars or in view of the Rwanda change the correct medal. The lack of knowledge regarding UN medals disturbs me also. It's something that guys who do something worthy of note are generally particular about. About a year or so ago he started talking about the PTSD caused by his Rwanda service. He has discussed this subject in depth with a couple of Vietnam Vets who have taken him at his word and no doubt shared their experiences. I did discuss the subject of DVA with him a while ago, but he said that he had applied and been refused 11 times. When I suggested that he use the Sub Branch welfare officer (one of the two VV"s (Vietnam Vets) he had discussed the issue with) he said that he would give this person in Victoria one more chance. Surprisingly he was suddenly in receipt of a DVA benefit. My wife who is also very friendly with him asked him how much he was getting, lo and behold it was the same amout exactly that I receive from DVA (60%), information that I had shared with him sometime before as I had received an increase in % of my disability. On the weekend another member tells me that he told them he only receives $11- a fortnight from DVA. When pressed to relate why he suffers from PTSD the answer you get (after a few beers) is that it has something to do with him witnessing a child being shot in Rwanda and him then attacking the shooter. Recently one of our VV sufferers let slip to me that his PTSD was caused by something to do with a child being shot! He didn't give me the full story nor would I ever wish press him on the subject! He (DiTullo) also states that he is the only member of his platoon/squad left alive, as the rest have committed suicide. When pressed about his supposed wife and child, they are somewhere in America. Sounds all very convienent! This ANZAC day when I quipped to him something about him only being a sargent he responded with the correction "staff sargent". He has suddenly promoted himself again. Neither my wife or any one else has heard him use this rank before. On Sunday when we were discussing UN missions and medals he let slip that he was envious of his older brother XXXXX, who is a currently serving WO1 posted to XXXXXX . (I checked the defence telephone book! (brother) is listed as the WSM of the XXXXX.) (brother) according to Alf has served in the de-mining operation in XXXXXX and was promoted rapidly to SSM of what he called XXXXXX. He has also stated that he had another brother in the Army, but I cannot find a listing, so can only assume that he has retired. This made me think as he told one of the VV's that he had only left the Army in 1999 (wonder if it's his brother who left?), when he told me that he was already out of the Army in the mid 1990's. Anyway I can go on for hours relating stories he has told of working with USMC personnel at Paris Island, Fort this or that, etc,etc,etc………….. As well as loads of "adventures" here in Australia. But basically it's appearing that his inconsistant stories are catching up with him as the members of the Sub Branch are all starting to talk amongst themselves. I would request that you guys have a look at him, and if he is genuine I can head off any embarrassment by being able to assure the members that he is the genuine article. However if he isn't, he needs to get what's coming! To the best of my knowledge his service No is 514026, however please remember that he has two other brothers who appear to be the real deal, his correct name is Alfonso Di Tullio Thanks for you time in all this and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future…… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 19 January 2007 I emailed you a couple of weeks ago regarding our President - Alf DiTullio - claims to Active service on UN missions. Since then I have dug further and we were able to front this impostor up to the committee where he has admitted his guilt. He has summarily been dismissed from the RSL with formal correspondence going to State Headquarters seeking official action against him. (What State HQ has to say on this matter will be interesting) His (DiTullio's) only service was as a member of 13 FD supply company Karrakatta ARES 1989-1993. His correct service No is 5104410. I uncovered this information on " friendsreunited.com.au" where he has his own entry under NorthLake Senior High School class of 1985. In other words he shopped himself. Many of the veterans of our Sub Branch feel much more should be done to him, at the least his actions should be publically ridiculed. I have attached two photo's showing him wearing the AASM and ASM, medals he is not entitled to. (He's the Italian looking person) (see photos below) When he appeared before the RSL committee he was asked " have you ever had overseas service on behalf of Australia or any other military force?". He answered no. This guy has pedalled his bullshit on us for 8 years and I have watched him fake a PTSD attack in order to gain sympathy and attention from genuine veterans. We have removed his name from the Sub Branch Honour board as we feel he was fraudulently elected - on the grounds that our mainly WW2 membership believed him to be a genuine veteran. God knows how long the hurt and anger will take to settle. I have also communicated with the APPV Assn and their national President and secretary are aware of this fraud. Thanks for your time in this sorry business, here's hoping you can give him his just "fame" on your web site. If you require any further info please don't hesitate to call. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We communicated with this gentleman and some of what we learnt is included in our comments above, some other distressing things we learnt about his behaviour cannot be included. It's understood that DiTullio will have to attend a State RSL tribunal on the 21st February 2007 to explain himself and we'll publish any results when known. If the matter is swept under the carpet, we'll publish any findings on this as well.
Remembrance Day 2006. DiTullio in the centre with microphone. The medals are not easily identified in the photo. We have a duly witnessed statement as to the wearer being DiTullio and the medals being the Australian Active Service Medal 1915-75 and Australian SService Medal 1945-75, both with clasps Namibia. The third medal on his left would be the new Australian Defence Medal issued by the Government to recognise Service in the Defence Forces. We also thank the National President and Secretary of the Australian Peacekeepers and Peacemakers Association. Their invaluable information on how UN medals are issued enabled an RSL member to trip him up much faster. Alfonso DiTULLIO by your own admission of pretending to be a serviceman who has been on Active Service and wearing of medals that you are not entitled to, you have disgraced yourself and brought embarrassment on your family, close friends, the members of the Cockburn RSL. You have also committed offences against the Defence Act 1903 which is a matter for the Australian Federal Police to investigate should they have the resources to do so, as that is the excuse they use for not defending the honour of genuine Australian serving and ex-servicemen and women.
One time Cockburn RSL Sub Branch President, Alf DiTullio, was exposed as a fake "war veteran" by members of his Sub Branch in February 2007. He appeared on the front page of the Community Newspaper "Cockburn Gazette" and the ANZMI website shortly afterwards.
This is published in the public interest, particularly that of the Veteran Community. All information presented here is fact and the truth. Reports from private citizens are supported by statements of fact and statutory declarations. |
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23 Aug 2007 
Waugh
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Peter "Muddy" Waugh Below are the documents that got Peter "Muddy" Waugh into "hot water" with just about everybody in the veteran community, especially the 8th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment Association and the Royal Australian Engineer's, "Tunnel Rats" Association. |
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Muddy claims in his "story" that, he; Spent lots of time in choppers. Spent lots of time in the bush Remembers too many contacts Was 300 metres down a tunnel when his light went out Still trembles when the lights go out. Set off a trip wire and was wounded in action with a "gut full of scrap" We are reliably advised that at a recent Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder course Waugh related to others on the course that: He served Fourteen months in South Vietnam. Was an M60 Machine Gunner for Six months Was a Forward Scout. Was a "Tunnel Rat" Stepped on a 500lb bomb booby trap and lived to tell the tale. Another veteran told us that Waugh had told him: "He'd been down tunnels and was blind in one eye from shrapnel, he also stated that he had served in D Company of the 8th Battalion" Another good one is; "He said he was awarded a Military Medal whilst serving with 8RAR, when asked for details about this he said, sorry I don't like to talk about it" Waugh recently went on a "return to Vietnam" tour with the Taree VVA. In a hotel in Saigon in June 2007 he again claimed to a group of veterans that "He had gone down tunnels". There are too many lies listed to refute one by one, so let's just be kind and say that most of Waugh's utterings are "fantasy". Waugh said in his Taree VVA article. "Brief recollections of most which according to my Psych (sic) I have buried somewhere in my head" These recollections are not buried, they are just not there - never having happened. We hope that Waugh hasn't told his "Psych" all of these stories in his bid to gain the benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, that he currently enjoys, because that would be fraud. We have acquired Waugh's service file from the National Australia Archives through Freedom of Information Legislation. His service was typical of many thousands of National Servicemen from the Vietnam era. He was enlisted into the Army as a National Serviceman on the 1 Oct 1969. After recruit and further training he was allocated to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and posted to the 1st Army Reinforcement Unit (1ARU) in Vietnam on the 15th Jul 1970, where he stayed until 13th August 1970. He was then posted to 8th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (8 RAR) on the 14th August 1970, where he remained until the 4th October 1970 - a total of fifty two days with the Battalion. He then returned to 1 ARU where he spent half of his time on Field Punishment and in Detention. On 14th January 1971 he was posted to 1st Australian Logistic Support Group (1ALSG) until his return to Australia on 8 July 1971.
What were his duties at each unit? 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit (1 ARU) at Nui Dat. Infantry reinforcements from Australia were posted to 1 ARU. Waugh spent about a month doing assimilation and training in preparation for posting to 8th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. 8th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. He was with 8th Battalion for only fifty two days. During this time, he worked with both C Company and Administration Company. We are reliably advised that most of his time with the Battalion was spent running the Company Bar and he also painted the bar with the Ettamogah Pub motif (as shown in the Taree booklet). 1ARU. Ordinarily he would have been reallocated to the incoming Battalion, however, 8RAR was not replaced so he spent one hundred days at 1 ARU of which Forty Nine were spent under punishment. HQ 1ALSG. He did not return to a Battalion but was posted to HQ 1ALSG . Located at Vung Tau, it was the Logistic Support Headquarters for Australian Forces in Vietnam. Apart from his forty nine days of field punishment and detention, Waugh served honourably and usefully in Vietnam and should be enjoying the honest company of his good friends, however he has been deserted because those who served with him know that he has lied about his service. Following the story in The Manning River Times, numerous protests were lodged to the newspaper, resulting in a meeting between the Editor, aggrieved veterans and members of the Taree VVA The meeting resolved nothing, Taree VVA executives strongly defending Waugh. The President of the Taree VVA, Mr Richard A Albert , who is a genuine Vietnam veteran, claims to have been unable to detect that Waugh was lying and followed up the meeting by placing the following rebuttal in the local newspaper, we suggest he had help from their well known legal adviser.
An Infantry veteran sent a letter to the Editor of The Manning River Times in response to Richard Albert's rebuttal, below is what he said.
The 8 RAR Association were not amused about Waugh's version of his service history with 8 RAR in Vietnam and wrote him the letter shown below:
Waugh had no need to exaggerate his war service and it seems that until he joined the nefarious Taree VVA he was never in trouble. We don't know why Muddy developed the need to lie about his Vietnam service, there could be many reasons, among which is the creation of "stories" to convince his "Psych" and The Department of Veterans Affairs that he has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Who knows? Waugh may not have been brought to account for his damn lies, had he ceased telling them and apologised at an early stage and got on with life, however, he insists that everything he has said are "true blue" war stories. Although Waugh is a genuine veteran who spent a year in Vietnam his recollection of his personal history in Vietnam, which he freely published, are just damn lies. Veterans who did the hard yards with 8RAR and other combat units, especially those who served as Tunnel Rats will not allow veteran wannabes like Waugh to get away with deceitful self aggrandisement. Waugh Did not spend lots of time in choppers. Did not spend lots of time in the bush . Cannot remember too many contacts, because he was not involved. Was never 300 metres down a tunnel when his light went out. Is lying when he says he trembles when the lights go out (In relation to going down tunnels.) Did not set off a trip wire and was wounded in action with a "gut full of scrap". Never served fourteen months in South Vietnam. Was not an M60 Machine Gunner for Six months Was not a Forward Scout. Was not a "Tunnel Rat". Never stepped on a 500lb bomb booby trap and lived to tell the tale. Was not blinded in one eye from shrapnel. Was never awarded a Military Medal whilst serving with 8RAR. Waugh published and has stated false recollections for the purpose of self adulation and perhaps to support claims for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. At ANZMI it is part of our charter to make sure that personal histories are honest and respectful of their fellow veterans and the units they served in. Footnotes - Warning 1: Veterans who have told lies to gain the Special Rate of compensation (TPI) and DVA investigate them, could finish up in court, just as other wannabes have. The maximum penalty for this criminal act includes gaol. Even if it is a lessor penalty, the veteran will be convicted of a crime and that means a permanent criminal record. Who wants one of these? This should ring alarm bells for those who have already obtained DVA benefits via false reports and sound a warning to those who are contemplating such actions. Who could face their families after being convicted in court on criminal charges that would reveal the lies the families heard and believed over the years? Imagine the shame. Warning 2. Again the Taree Vietnam Veterans Association has come under scrutiny because of dishonesty by a member. There are people involved with that organisation who are proven frauds and liars. We would suggest to honest veterans that in the interest of retaining their integrity they avoid involvement in the Taree VVA. This is published in the public interest, particularly that of the Vietnam Veteran Community. All information presented here is fact and the truth. Reports from private citizens are supported by statements of fact and statutory declarations. |
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Stocks
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Stocks is well known in the South Burnett region of Queensland as a heroic World War 2 bomber pilot but being exposed as a wannabe on more than one occasion has not stopped him continuing the charade He is a 90-year-old author who is well in command of his faculties, so the fiction that he has been spreading for decades about his WW2 exploits cannot be blamed on his age.
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In a Brisbane Courier Mail newspaper report in 1992 by Jason Gagliardi, there is a photo of Sydney Stocks and a woman whom he had "rescued from a Japanese POW camp in Indonesia, July 1945".
The article reports that in July 1945 Stocks landed his Beaufort bomber next to a Japanese prison camp in Banjuwangi Indonesia and amid chaos and bullets rescued Nicoline Van Den Hurk, he snatched her up, together with maps documents and photographs, and took her to Darwin. The lady was sent back to Holland and the documents he gathered were found to be important to the war effort. For this escapade he was demoted and charged by the RAAF but subsequently awarded the Dutch War Commemorative Cross of Honour by Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands. As a lead up to ANZAC Day, on 24 April 2004 Sydney Stocks gave an interview to Glenis Green of the Brisbane Courier Mail . It is a long interview that disclosed many more facets of Syd's "heroic" RAAF service. We have been unable to locate a copy of the actual newspaper report however we present a transcript of the report below. Flight to freedom The exploits of Sydney Nelson Stocks , a distinguished bomber pilot and one of the few to escape from Changi, are a stirring story of courage and grit. Glenis Green reports
WHEN South Burnett war veteran went into hospital for major intestinal surgery last month, the last thing his doctors expected to see on his X-rays was a bullet lodged near his spine.
After carrying the 307 snub-nosed bullet around for more than 60 years, the World War II Digger had almost forgotten about it -- except when it made his lower back ache if he ``mucked about'' too much. So Stocks learned to live with what he described as ``the wearying pains'' if he stood up for too long or did too much physical work.
Such silent stoicism is typical of Stocks, who was up and about just days after his surgery, living independently again in the Yarraman home he shares with Tommy the cat. This, after all, is a man who not only risked his life a hundred times over to fly behind enemy lines performing daring rescues and bombing raids, but was also one of the few POWs to escape from Singapore's notorious Changi Prison.
He has so many medals it's hard to lift the jacket he wears to Anzac Day marches. They include his US Inter-national Cross of Honour, the Dutch Commemorative Medal of Honour, a Star of David presented by the Jewish community, an Order of Australia medal and a recent honour as an Honorary Knight of Malta. ``We blasted it night after night and their fighters were always chasing us,'' he says.``Well, this night we were coming back, outside Belgium, when the tail gunner said, `There's a bandit following', and we copped a blast.'' Stocks tried to out-manoeuvre the fighter, doing a quick inside turn (``the blokes were yelling a bit'') and the fighter made a pass and overshot before turning to close the distance between the two aircraft, approaching head-on.
``He was keeping his guns going -- he was within 400 yards -- and he peeled off.
``I told `Flaps' Crawford (the second pilot) `I've been hit, I think'. He took it (the plane) from me and I lay on the fuselage, all cramped up and half out of it until we got to the base at Silsden.'' While living with a bullet is just one of Stocks' amazing stories of survival, he's a reluctant hero, saying he's no different to any else who fought. Stocks' story began when he joined up on January 6, 1940 aged 25 -- so old for a new recruit that he quickly earned the nickname ``Uncle''.
A FRENCH polisher by trade, he'd been a foreman in a furniture factory which was ordered into military production when the war began. He was put straight on the SS Manundra sailing to England, ending up at Silsden, a medium bomber base near Leicestershire, where he was trained as a pilot and wireless air gunner. ``They (pilots) were always getting shot so they always needed more pilots,'' he says. It was two years years later when Stocks was a member of four bombing squadrons sent to Siam (now Thailand) to head off the Japanese forces joining the war that the die was cast for his incarceration in Changi. They had fought from Siam back to the causeway joining Malaya with Singapore when they were ambushed after the Japanese broke through an Indian battalion.
``The first thing they (the Japanese) did was go straight to the hospital and shoot every patient and medical orderly because they didn't want to look after injured people,'' Stocks says.
``Any sign of resistance and you were gone,'' he says. Those who survived were taken to Changi. There Stocks was put in charge of a small working team of army and air force men. At one point he was interrogated and when he feigned ignorance was struck on the head with wooden bats, which permanently damaged his hearing.
That was in February, 1942. On April 11, the next year, he escaped. Instead Stocks put himself on penalty duties for the big day, wearing his baggiest pair of shorts, worn-out sandshoes and no shirt and carrying two old potato bags which he used to put rubbish in as he traversed the perimeter of the prison. Enduring the taunts, insults and kicks from guards, he eventually got to the main gates where a rubbish truck with an armed Japanese driver was waiting.
Because his captors refused to touch rubbish, Stocks was ordered into the truck so he could unload it at the dump. As the truck headed for the causeway, Stocks overpowered and ``dispatched'' the driver. Stocks had become friends with a local magistrate, who put him in prison and told the Japanese who had come to take him away that he would have to remain in jail in Malaya for driving without a licence and stealing a vehicle.
HE WAS held in the Johore prison until he could be picked up by a fishing boat and taken out to sea. Eventually Stocks made it to Ambon and then Darwin.
As well as leaving behind so many mates in Changi (to whom he did not even reveal his escape plan in case they paid the price for their knowledge), one of Stocks' biggest regrets was saying goodbye to a loyal four-footed friend, ``Butch'', the fox terrier.
Furious at Stocks' escape, one of the nastier Japanese sergeants killed the little dog, then cooked him and fed him to the unwitting prisoners.
``He (Butch) was confined to barracks for a week for that,'' he said. Living alone since his wife Val died in 1991 after 58 years of marriage, (they met when she was a concert pianist for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and he played the violin), Stocks holds on fiercely to his independence. Even while he was still doubled over from the aftermath of his recent surgery he managed to add a fresh shine to the French polished war memorial in the main street of Yarraman. And that's where he'll be marching again on Anzac Day this year -- exactly three weeks before his 89th birthday. As an RSL life member, he'll again be the toast of a town which is more than proud to call him one of their own. What was Sydney Stocks really doing during WW2
We have the complete service record of Sydney Nelson Stocks – 174 pages - and we know exactly where he was from 1942 when he first joined the 1st Battalion of the Volunteer Defence Corps (Queensland) VDC (Q) until 1960 when he left the RAAF. We also know where he was not.
He was.... Not in the RAAF in January1940. Not ever in the Pilot's seat of a Bomber aircraft or any other aircraft flying operational missions Not rescuing Dutch Damsels from Japanese Prison Camps in July 1945 Never in Europe during the war, bombing the Krupps Ammunition Factory Never wounded by a snub-nosed 307 bullet now lodged near his spine. Never a prisoner of war nor incarcerated in Changi gaol in Singapore.
He
Never escaped from any POW camp.
Never killed a Japanese guard . Never had a dog with parachuting skills. Never knew a Sultan in Malaya who gave him refuge. Never escaped from Malaya in a local fishing boat, to end up in Darwin.
Following the 24 April 2004 story Glenis Green , journalist with the Brisbane Courier mail, "cottoned" on to Stock's embarrassing lies and in a follow up story on the 24 May 2004 shot down this "Bomber Pilot" in flames. She said about Stocks in the Courier Mail ; inter alia
"Not quite so blatant was Yarraman old-timer Syd Stocks, whose story about his brush with a bullet as a fighter pilot, his parachuting fox terrier "Butch" and escape from the notorious Changi prison also made it into print.
The 88-year-old remains convinced his stories are true, backed by scrapbooks of clippings; letters, X-rays of his bullet injury, faded photographs and medals. Stocks had been fooling almost everyone in the Blackbutt and Yarraman area for decades with his tales of derring-do. Sadly it appears that his only gong was the OBE he was awarded last year for his services to the community.
Author, investigative writer and historical consultant Lynette Silver says fabricating stories about his service is insulting to all who did participate in the armed services. After consulting a senior historian at RAAF Historical Section, Silver says Stocks could not have served with an RAAF bomber squadron in the UK in 1940, as our only squadron there at the time was 10 Squadron (Sunderland flying boats).
Silver also confirmed that, despite Stock's assertions, there were no RAF or RAAF bomber squadrons stationed in Thailand and there was no S Nelson or S Stocks listed among the 229 RAAF personnel from the RAAF's Far East Squadrons taken prisoner in 1942. And no POW ever escaped successfully from Changi, although some tried. Silver points to a string of other inconsistencies in Stocks' account and notes that records do show a Sydney Nelson Stocks, born in Toowoomba on May 14, 1915, who, after being discharged from the militia, enlisted in the RAAF at Windsor in Brisbane on Jan 6 1944." On 31 March 2006 Sydney Nelson Stocks flew back into the ANZMI radar with a story in the South Burnett Times
Note in the article that Stocks says, "I was a bomber pilot and this fellow was a fighter pilot and I got to know him well and I wanted to write his story". Note also that on the cover of the book that Stocks is pointing to, there is a photo of him as a young man together with his parachuting canine.
One would think that after the "drubbing" Stocks got from Glenis Green and Lynette Silver in their article of the 24 May 2004 that Syd would come down to earth, pack up his "pilot wings" and retire to a camouflaged hanger instead of continuing his farcical lies.
Stocks' Real Service Career
Sydney Stocks "heard the bugle" rather late as he enlisted as a part time soldier on the 16 Nov 1942 and served in 1 st Battalion, Volunteer Defence Corps, Queensland (VDC (Q)) employed as a Signaller. He elected to be discharged from the VDC (Q) in November 1943 for the purpose of joining the Citizens' Air Force (Full time duty)
Sydney Stocks has a genuine RAAF service history that would be the envy of many. He was always described by his Commanding Officers as being exemplary and his work outstanding. During WW2 his rank was initially aircraftsman, then on the 1 December 1944 he was promoted to leading aircraftsman (LAC) (The equivalent of a senior private soldier) After the war – 1 Feb 1946 – he was promoted to acting corporal. Between 1946 and 1960 he rose to the rank of warrant officer in the trade of armourer. Sometime after 1952 Stocks applied unsuccessfully, to be selected for an RAAF Commission. Below is one page of the Application.
Notice on the application that Stocks, in his own handwriting, lists his locations from the time he first joined the RAAF until after the end of the war
On the 6 Jan 1944 he was a recruit in Sandgate Qld 10 March 1944 he was a Trainee Tech at Sydney, NSW 5 June 1944 he was a trainee Armourer at Nhill in Vic 27 August 1944 he was an Armourer at Amberley Qld 19 December 1944 he was an Armourer at Sandgate Qld 19 January 1945 he was an Armourer at Townsville Qld 5 March 1945 he was an Armourer in the Pacific with 6 Sqn RAAF.
Stocks did not join 6 SQN until 5 March 1945, this was his first and last participation in overseas WW2 service. When he joined the unit it was located at Dobodura New Guinea, Stocks arrived holding the rank of LAC Armourer. This rank and trade would scarcely qualify him to be flying Beaufort Bombers around Asia and rescuing Dutch damsels from POW camps. It is also very clear by his own handwriting that Stocks was never in Europe and was never a prisoner of war in Changi Prison, Singapore. When the war ended, 6 Squadron RAAF relocated to Kingaroy in Southern Queensland where the Squadron was disbanded.
During his WW2 service in New Guinea Stocks earned the following medals: 1939 –45 Star – Pacific Star – War Medal 1939/45 – Australian Service Medal General Service Medal (Malaysia) for service between 1951 and 1952. Order of Australia medal presented in 2003 for his service to the community of Blackbutt Qld.
Remember Glenis Green reported on the 24 April 2004 "Syd has so many medals it's hard to lift the jacket he wears to Anzac Day. They include his: US Inter-National Cross of Honour, Dutch Commemorative Medal of Honour, Star of David, Honorary Knight of Malta"
Stocks is entitled to wear six medals, the wearing of the self-purchased trinkets described above is just another example of his quest for fame through blatant lies and fantasy.
Stocks is an enigma. He is a man with an excellent service record and he has earned an Order of Australia Medal for his services to his local community. These two things should make Stocks a satisfied man but he seeks further veneration from his community by extolling deeds of great "derring do" and mixing purchased "trinkets" with his issued medals . He has a penchant for using newspapers to broadcast his lies. Sydney's problem is that he writes works of fiction and then begins to live the fiction or reads stories of war time feats then fits himself into the action. This strange, long term Wannabe has no excuse for his bizarre behaviour. He is a returned serviceman who would have been very much respected for the genuine service he gave.
We hope this exposure will stop Sydney Stocks, spinning his yarns about his imagined heroic deeds. His antics negate his exemplary RAAF service and are an insult to veterans everywhere. If he wants to indulge in works of fiction he should write about his life as a confidence trickster, who has conned the people in the South Burnett region for decades.
One of the newspaper articles said "As an RSL life member, he'll again be the toast of the town, which is more than proud to call him one of their own"
Our original entry about Stocks was dated 31 May 2006, an update was added 8 July 2006. In mid March 2007 we received a newspaper clipping with Stock's smiling countenance showing him to be a current and long term member of the Yarraman Queensland Returned Services League (RSL).
Read our original report and you will understand that Stocks is a liar of breathtaking proportions. To this date he still maintains his claims of being an heroic WWll bomber pilot, Changi escapee and rescuer of damsels in distress. Stocks has never apologised and shows no remorse for his insults to the intelligence of the veteran community or for the disrespect he shows to the memory of veterans and the families of those real heros who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Stocks is aided and abetted in his continuing deceit by the Queensland RSL, starting at the very top down through a district president to where the "buck stops" with the Yarraman RSL thumbing its nose at veterans everywhere. On the 14 March 2007, we enquired directly to the current president of the Queensland RSL, about the Stocks situation, he advised that he would look into the matter. On the 8 May 2007 we again enquired as to the situation with Stocks. The Queensland RSL president advised that he had no news and was awaiting for advice from the Moreton district president. How long does it take to establish that Stocks is - or is not - a full member of the Yarraman RSL, or whether he should remain a member in view of his disgraceful conduct When it comes to wannabes of the calibre of Stocks the veteran community must not tolerate procrastination and stalling from those who lead us. If the RSL is determined to welcome disgraceful people like Stocks in their midst - it is indicitive of why so many genuine veterans will not join the RSL and why so many have resigned in disgust.
This is published in the public interest, particularly that of the Veteran Community. All information presented here is fact and the truth. Reports from private citizens are supported by statements of fact and statutory declarations. |
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Shaw
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Bill Shaw still lives in Cairns where in the 1990s he was a "medalled up", New Zealand Royal Navy "veteran" and a full member of the Kuranda RSL. As New Zealand is part of our bailiwick, determining Bill's real service was a snap – particularly because he had none. During his membership at the Kuranda Returned Services League (RSL) Shaw is described as always being on edge and "jumpy", this state fitted well with his "war caused" emotional state, however, we now know that it was more likely because he was always afraid of being exposed as the wannabe and imposter that he is.
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In the photograph, Bill Shaw has been presented with the Republic of Vietnam medal - The Cross-of Gallantry (With Palm) - this has been pinned next to the Vietnam Medal and the Vietnamese Campaign Medal by the then President of the Kuranda RSL. The presentation of this medal was organized by the then Secretary of the Kuranda RSL the venerable Dr Barry Owen Wright (See our cases page) At the time when Dr Barry Owen Wright had the rest of the Kuranda RSL management committee dazzled with his false credentials, there were many who were suspicious, but did nothing. Edmund Burke the Irish political philosopher said in 1770 "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" The integrity of the veteran community is the business of every ESO committee member and every ordinary member. Too often we find that had the "Burke principle" been applied in a timely manner exposed wannabes would never have prevailed. Bill Shaw is a wannabe and one of Barry Owen Wright's creations from the Kuranda RSL (there are more to come). Wright is the lying ex education corps officer who rewrote his military and civilian history so that his mundane life as a teacher and librarian became a kaleidoscope of heroic events and achievements. Whilst secretary of the Kuranda Queensland RSL, Wright encouraged and conspired with others to allow wannabes to fraudulently participate in RSL affairs as veterans. What is Shaw's real story? Shaw was never a member of any of the New Zealand forces he is a wannabe riding on the bow waves of dreamed up glory, made possible by the consummate wannabe Barry Owen Wright and his mates, who had control of the Kuranda RSL in the 1990s. Shaw said he was in the Kiwi Navy attached to an American River Patrol Operation . The official word from our partners across the Tasman Sea is;"No NZ sailors were attached to American River Patrols. It would be part of New Zealand history if they were. Shaw simply did not serve in any capacity in South Vietnam either with New Zealand or Australian Forces." To the best of our knowledge he has never pulled on a boot, spliced a mainbrace or cranked a propeller with any military force in his life. The Cross-of Gallantry (With Palm)was awarded to three New Zealand servicemen. Shaw was not one of them. There were five people with the surname Shaw who served with the New Zealand forces in Vietnam. We have their names and Bill Shaw is not one of them Bill Shaw has no entitlement to any of the medals he is pictured wearing. If this person were a "decorated" Navy Veteran, he would be a household name in New Zealand and would be known. Coached by the infamous Barry Wright, Shaw was obviously "building a case" for a pension with his pretend "night terrors" we believe this bizarre behaviour was setting up witnesses for his "pension" for "post traumatic stress disorder" Bill Shaw still resides in Cairns, Far North Queensland even though Shaw has not continued his disgraceful charade into recent times he has earned a place on our web site for the eyes of the world for rest of his life. During the 1990s Bill Shaw wore medals he never earned, and he pretended to be a damaged veteran – both disgraceful acts which should never be forgotten by the veteran community.
This is published in the public interest, particularly that of the Vietnam Veteran Community. All information presented here is fact and the truth. Reports from private citizens are supported by statements of fact and statutory declarations. |
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Quick
Kevin Lionel Quick nickname ' Mother '
This story has been compiled by a D & E member who served in the unit at the same time as "Mother" Quick. The story you are about to read has been verified by other members of the Defence and Employment Platoon [D & E Pl] and this is their true recollection of events. All facts have been checked against military records by ANZMI and what you see here, is the real story.
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This sorry individual is a person who stayed behind the wire in the comparative safety of the 1st Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province, SVN, but has since claimed to have been a "Bush Soldier" with D&E Pl with tales of bravery to relate. |
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Normally when we do an update on one of our site entries the update is included at the end of the story to allow you to read all about the subject prior to the update. In this instance we feel that by reading the update below it will give you a feel of those who have been conned at some stage by a fraud. It is obvious from the comments below that the incident referred to is still painfully embedded in the mind of this person and to read what has been done to him and his fellow Brothers in Arms is unforgivable. In essence this person went out of his way to assist Kevin "Mother" Quick, thinking he was a genuine Veteran who had a genuine reason to be claiming for DVA repatriation. Indeed what Quick has done is unforgivable and in due course we can only hope that the DVA and the Judicial system get it right and award the appropriate punishment to fit the crime. After reading this story go back to the cases pages and then read all about Brain, Stevens and Fancourt and look at the amount of money fraudulently obtained by these people. But wait there are more to come, we just cant advise you of their names right now. You will have to wait until they have been brought down and are on the public record as Quick now is, before we can highlight them on these pages and highlight them we will. There are some that are saying that by ANZMI exposing these frauds that it is slowing down the compensation and rehabilitation claims for genuine veterans. This is complete rubbish. The DVA are as aware as we are of the frauds out there. The time frame between Vietnam and now and checking of the claims of all veterans need to be verified before payments are made or what you are about to read can and does happen. If you are a veteran who has a claim in and it is taking a long time to process then you could be caught up in this exhaustive check that the department has to do. We suggest that you gather all of the information possible and support it with stat decs from others who were there at the time of the incident , war diaries and incident reports, facts from historical books etc before having your advocate lodge your claim. The more information you can supply the quicker it is for the department to verify your claim. DONT BLAME THE DEPARTMENT FOR BEING SLOW. It is people like the one you about to read about that need to be caught out so that they are not stealing what is rightfully your entitlement for rehabilitation for genuine service. Eliminating them from the equation prior to receiving payments is far easier than the massive amount of work that has to be done to recover monies paid. Monies that should be directed to the deserving veteran and not the fraud.
OPERATION "MASSEY HARRIS" - THE AFTERMATH
and the Vietnam Memorial Book "Australian Vietnam Forces Memorial" ISBN 0 646 12442 0 at page 132, photo No F13-28 standing unaided, no crutches, with members of D&E Pl;
at page 150 standing unaided with members of D&E Pl; photo No F13-30;
at page 153, photo No F13-13 standing upright with members of D&E Pl) .
In October 2002, I attended the Vietnam Memorial 10th anniversary Re-dedication service and march in Canberra. The RAAC contingent went back to the Canberra Club for our luncheon. It was only a matter of weeks since I had seen the shattering revelations. I saw the bloke at the Canberra Club. He was alone and looking very sad and forlorn - it was obvious to me that he knew he had been outed. No one went near him and I watched him until he disappeared. No one spoke to him or went near him the whole time he was in my field of view. At no time did he, whilst under my observation, resort to the use of crutches or a walking stick. I felt soiled. I did not consider it appropriate to front him as I was with my wife, and my mates and their wives. I knew somewhere down the track, it would come back to bite him big time. And it has.
Late last year I was contacted by DVA's Director of Investigations regarding this bloke – I can’t even bring myself to call him a vet any more. Now finally, justice has been done for all those deceived and for all the WIAs and KIAs.
XXXX, all I can say to you and all the others is I’m very sorry –we were all ripped off but you and your guys on We can only stress again that you seek out as much information as you can concerning your claims and back it all up with stat decs from people who were there at the time and documented history before your advocate lodges the claim. The more you supply for the department to verify your claim the faster it will be approved. We cannot stress this enough. as Army people say PPPPPPP. Now read on and see exactly why Quick is facing up to 300 counts of fraud against the Department of Veterans Affairs amounting to $300,000.
In Sydney, in, or around, August 1992 a group of Veterans were asked to provide written stories of their tours for possible inclusion in Army Magazine. The majority of the Veterans told the Army reporter to go and write his own stories. Kevin Quick was the exception and he wrote or narrated a tale entitled, 'One Man's War'.
medal entitlement here
On the 20th of December 2007 Kevin Quick was sentenced to two years jail, with a three year good behaviour bond - he is to serve three months in jail and on release should he breach the bond within three years will return to jail to complete the two year sentence At long last a custodial sentence has been imposed on a Veteran for misrepresenting his service to gain financial advantage from the Department of Veterans Affairs. ANZMI applauds all those who made this possible especially those members of Defence and Employment Platoon who assisted us in our original exposure of Kevin Quick. When further details come to hand with regard to the recovery of the monies fraudulently obtained we will post a further update. Below is a newspaper article that was written just prior to his sentencing.
Kevin Lionel Quick – The final curtain - Update – 16 Sep 12 Quick fraudulently claimed benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, for that crime he has spent time in prison, has been comprehensively exposed on our web site and suffered considerable disgrace in the National Media. On the up side for Quick, it appears that he got away with a net profit of $135,000 of Tax payers money. The final chapter to Quick’s wannabe and criminal career was unfolded on the 17 July 2012 when he was arraigned before the Supreme Court in Sydney. See the report below:
Quick is a criminal, who without conscience defrauded the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and therefore the Taxpayers of Australia. His actions and the subsequent reaction by DVA, has made it that little bit harder for needy Veterans to get their entitlements through the Government system. Much has been reported about Quick, none of that reported shows him in a good light, succinctly put, Quick is a criminal, a liar, a fraud and a wannabe. If you meet him treat him as such. This is published in the public interest, particularly that of the Vietnam Veteran Community. All information presented here is fact and the truth. Reports from private citizens are supported by statements of fact and statutory declarations. |
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