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'.

He has since claimed that the reporter took "journalistic license" with the story.  Maybe so, these things happen, but the basis of this work of fiction is Quick's.

Please read this article first for an understanding of what can be told by someone that has lived a lie since 1971 and has worked hard at giving "truth" to his lies.
Army newspaper Article
 This article was not an attempt to publish a dramatic work of fiction, or some excitement for young Soldiers. It was his attempt to enhance his War Service and give validity to the lies that he has been telling and living since returning home in 1971.

On being challenged via e-mail to deny what he claims are facts, he simply stated, 'Everyone has their faults'.  This was mail from a former D&E Platoon member to him and his reply.  Again on being challenged by former Platoon members at a reunion, about his article and a subsequent poem written by him, he said all the records and contemporary newspaper reports were wrong. (where have we heard that before?)  He said he really was a member of the Platoon and was involved in the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) incident his story 'highlights', although he placed it in the wrong part of Phuoc Tuy Province.

Five e-mails were sent to him asking that he deny his story and apologise to former Platoon members.  All five went unanswered.

The writer personally sent three, CMPH sent two.

CPMH and former Platoon members have looked at this article, "One Man's War", and have torn it apart, separating the facts from the fiction using archived Army records and documents that are now readily available to any member of the general public.

A volunteer serviceman?      NO.  He was conscripted (drafted).

He arrived in SVN in June 1970?   NO.   It was May 1970.

He was posted to 1 ARU, the reinforcement unit?    YES.

A mortar course 'under his belt'?   NO.  This phrase suggests that he passed a course when in fact he failed.

Mortar Course Report
Note the general remarks in the course report.
'He failed to assimilate instruction and is very slow to react.  He tends to wilt when under pressure.'
In essence these remarks say, 'Make him a batman, a storeman, a dishwasher, a barman, but don't take him out on patrol, he'll be a liability.'  An Infantry section in the field relies heavily on each member of the patrol backing each other up in the event of a fire fight.  At a time like this the pressure is extreme and no member of the team can afford to fail his mates.

He told the Sergeant that he wanted to go back to [even though he had never been in one before] a Battalion with his mates and 'get into it - mix it', because he wanted to wear the "Skippy Badge", the hat badge of the Royal Australian Regiment, Infantry.  He already had one, as did every other Infantryman who was posted to a Battalion or overseas.

He wrote about POGOS [Personnel on Garrison Operations], a derogatory term used for base camp personnel.  He was one, as you will discover.

He spent two weeks in hospital due to a minor kidney ailment, June 1970?    NOT QUITE RIGHT.  His records show one week, long enough for diagnosis but not treatment and cure.
Hospital Entry

He was posted to D&E Platoon, HQ Coy, 1 ATF?  HALF TRUE.  He was posted to the Company, not the Platoon.  The Soldiers were assigned their duties on arrival.

He arrived at the Company on 25 June.  Impossible for him to have been an 'Old Hand of five months' on 29 August 1970, the first day of Operation Massey Harris.

He was a machine gunner in D&E Platoon and was actively engaged in patrolling and ambushing ?    NO.  In fact, he spent THREE days on the strength of the Platoon; the mornings of 26, 27 and 28 June for roll call.  In the remarks column of the Platoon attendance roll against his name appears the notation, "TO BATMAN."  The same roll book contains a listing of all HQ Coy Batman, Kevin Quick is shown as commencing as a batman in this section on 29 June 1970.

So on the morning of 29 June, he was officially a BATMAN and on their attendance roll.

A BATMAN assisted officers' by cleaning their tents, making their beds, shining their boots, making their coffee and doing all the mundane chores that a busy officer had no time for.  It was a full time duty.  There were no civilian personnel on the base for this purpose.  Batmen were required, but there was no extreme pressure placed on them.

Maybe someone read his Mortar Course report.

He was later transferred to duties in the Quartermaster's Store as a storeman.

D&E Platoon carried out a variety of tasks, patrolling, ambushing, VIP protection, Task Force ready-reaction, etc.   YES.

After a long period of heavy action he was moved to the Platoons HQ protection section (squad)?  NO.  Firstly there was no such section or unit.  Secondly, he was allocated to the strength to (of) the Platoon for only THREE days.  D&E Platoon was out on operations in the vicinity of Xuyen Moc during this period of time, no patrolling or bush work for Mother Quick!

D&E Platoon Soldiers carried non-standard issue (Jack) weapons and a greater amount of fully automatic weapons than those carried by a Battalion Platoon?   YES.  That's true but who could 'sneak' a weapon out on patrol?

According to "Mother" he was wounded when the APC, call sign 13A, "The Nympho", was moving back to base from Operation "Massey Harris" in the Courtney rubber plantation.  [refer back to the Army Magazine article]  NO.  He was not wounded here or anywhere else whilst in South Viet Nam.

He probably still doesn't know this, but Operation "Massey Harris" took place in the southeast corner of the province.  The armoured vehicles were moving to the AO, not back from the operation near Binh Tuy Province on 29 August 1970.

The De Courtenay, not Courtney, (Quick's spelling is wrong) rubber plantation was in the extreme north of the Province and straddled the border with Long Khanh Province on route 2.

A complete and accurate list of the names of those Australian Soldiers wounded during Operation "Massey Harris" and taken to hospital is in our possession.  No Kevin Lionel Quick and no civilians are on the casualty list.

Twelve (12) were injured, two (2) remained on duty, 10 were dusted off to 1 AFH. [1st Australian Field Hospital]; two (2) of these D&E Soldiers eventually joined the Platoon in the field again whilst the APC Driver was also able to take up his normal duties.  D&E Platoon members have the names of these 10 personnel.

Quick has combined two APC / D&E incidents that incurred loss of life.  The first occasion being August 1970, Operation "Massey Harris" and the second during June 1971, Operation "Overlord" near the De Courtenay rubber plantation.  Forty (40) kilometres as the crow flies and 10 months apart.  It's possible that he concocted this combination to avoid hard questions as to where he was supposedly injured and incurred his loss of hearing, spinal injury, PTSD and hypertension.  He had in fact, returned to Australia in May 1971.  One month before the De Courtenay plantation / D&E incident.
return to Aus Doc
The Bushman (Kit Carson) Scout was killed?   YES.

The scout was indeed killed but his name was Thanh, not Chang.  Quick's poem dedicated to the scout raised some anger when it and the Army Magazine article were displayed at a Company reunion.

A badly wounded Soldier moved by truck over 30 miles of bad to average road to Nui Dat or 45 miles to Vung Tau?  This claim alone is enough to brand this individual as a liar of the first order and the truth of the matter is explained below . This is one of the most outlandish stories ever dished out by a Veteran and an insult to the Australian Army of the time.

ALL wounded were taken to 1st Australian Field Hospital, Vung Tau, on two Dustoffs, [helicopters].
No injured personnel, civilian or military, were moved from the location by any other means.  There have been claims by others to the contrary, but these above are the facts on how the wounded were evacuated. 

Quick was a Veteran's counsellor in Canberra?  YES.  He is well remembered by one Veteran who heard the Nympho story often.

So much for his article in the Army Magazine, some facts regarding the Platoon - yes, but basically the rest is bunkum.

His records show that he was in hospital in November 1970 for a week but no mention of treatment on or around 29 August 1970, the date of the Nympho incident.
hospital record 2
Many records of the time can be wrong but they can't be so consistently wrong as in the case of this individual.

We have a declaration from another Veteran who was told by Quick, that he damaged his back while working at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi, post 1975 and was unable to receive compensation.  The member who has related this information has supplied a statutory declaration to this fact.

He is in receipt of the highest Veterans' pension available in Australia, payable due to his supposed war caused injuries and disabilities.

How was he able to get away with this deception for 30 years, all the while enhancing his War Service and profile in the Veteran community?

Unlike a Battalion posting which would give a fair indication of a Soldier's duties, a posting to HQ Coy 1 ATF did not.  No matter what duties these Soldiers finally carried out, they were all posted as ECN-343, Rifleman.

Infantry Soldiers arrived at the Company and were assigned duties ranging through clerk, storeman, barman, batman, mess steward, dixie basher (dishwasher) or bush Soldier with D&E Platoon.

D&E carried out any duties required by the Brigadier as stated in Quick's article and other duties that he was/is not aware of.  The Platoon was known as 'The Brigadiers Own' also 'Hawke Force'.  He wasn't aware of those names either.

The existence of the Platoon was relatively unknown to others at the Task Force base and it's only in the last 10 years that the operations of the Platoon have come to light.

Also over the last 10 years, quite a few base duty or logistics support soldiers have claimed former membership of D&E Platoon for a variety of reasons.  War Service enhancement for personal gain would be the main one.

Quick had appeared at Veterans reunions in a wheelchair and wearing the Infantry Combat Badge, (ICB).
The wheelchair use could not have been due to war wounds, he was never wounded but he gave that impression.

He is not entitled to wear the ICB

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

Paul Stephen Phillips, born 9th September 1952 is, we have been advised, an ex student who attended Christian Brothers College in Crown Lane, now known as Edmund Rice College, Wollongong.  Edmund Rice College honours its ex-students who served in WW2 or Vietnam by placing their name on an honour board. Below is a photo of the Colleges honour board for the Vietnam War.

 

 

HMAS VENDETTA

Harry Kirkman, 65

Harry Kirkman's greatest escape during the Indonesian confrontation was fleeing "an angry mob brandishing machetes and screaming death to all white men". He turned the wrong corner on leave in Singapore during 1965 and walked straight into "a fully blown race riot where local natives were running towards us whacking any white fella with big stick", he said, "and it looked like curtains". The mob wounded some of his mates and attacked an English officer "beating him to death with bamboo sticks, so I turned and bolted faster than I've ever run in my life to get the hell out of there".

Joining the navy at 15 because "it seemed the best way to help Australia", he served during the confrontation as gunnery officer on HMAS Vendetta, looking for communist insurgents in the Malacca Straits.

"We were the only ship between the communist enemy and non-communist Malays," he said. He tailed 80 Indonesian communist vessels, "loaded and fired very heavy 4.5-inch shells" at enemy ships and "had a few direct hits". His biggest catch was arresting an inconspicuous enemy vessel travelling towards Malaya with 200 Indonesian communists hiding on board. "We held them on the upper deck chained together for five days, interrogated them and turned them over to the Malayan government. That's how we helped win that war."

After the war he served throughout Asian waters on escort vessels Bandanna and Duchess before "stress got to me. Eventually I got a free discharge because they could not control me".

He is married and lives in Sydney.

(Note:  Kirkman is not 65 years old - he was born 1st August 1948)

Kirkman has completed other written statements relating to the same or similar incidents, here are excerpts from four other statements he has written.

Statement 1. Undated

On the 29th November we sailed for another patrol returning to Singapore on the 4th December. During this patrol an Indonesian boat with 200 odd Indonesian Army personnel on board were arrested and these people were chained to the Quarter Deck where they were interrogated by Malaysian Army personnel for 5 days. The upper deck was washed down morning and night using fire hoses to clean the area and the people the whole time they were on board. I remember one time during our trip to the Far East I was ashore in Singapore sitting near the gates outside the wharves having a few drinks and something to eat when it seemed like thousands of Singapore natives came screaming up the street banishing bamboo sticks and attacking any British servicemen they laid eyes upon which also included Australian Sailors. Not 15 feet from where I was sitting I witnessed the death of a British Sailor from these people bashing him to the head with their sticks and kicking him. I remember that our leave was suspended until we set sail, which was delayed, due to the number of our ships company being injured during these riots.

Statement 2. February 22^nd 2004

During this patrol we engaged an Indonesian boat with 200 odd Indonesian Army personnel on board whom we arrested and these people were chained to the Quarter Deck where they were interrogated by Malaysian Army personnel.

These people were on board for 5 days and we were told that the Quarter Deck was out of bounds. Like all 17 year olds, curiosity killed the cat and the temptation was too great and many sailors investigated what was happening on the Quarter Deck.

Various times over those 5 days I witnessed these people being tortured by the Malaysian Army. They tortured women, children and even the old folks relentlessly for the 5 days. It scared my brain for life what I saw it was gruesome.

We sailed for another patrol on December 8^th returning on December 29^th. On the 10^th December we were ordered to sail toward Raffles Light where we met up with over 80 Indonesian War ships sailing up and down the waterway at full speed.

We were the only allied ship in the area for nearly 4 hours and we were at action stations the whole time as we were unsure what the Indonesian's intentions were so we sailed up and down the coast with them.

The first time I saw these ships was when I had completed my watch in the boiler room and when I came to the upper deck and looked over to the Indonesian Navy sailing what looked like a hundred yards of our starboard I was extremely scared that I would not see home again.

When you are 17 and you are onboard a Destroyer in the Royal Australian Navy nothing gets your adrenalin pumping faster than being on board and traveling at full speed, but when you add the enemy also traveling side by side at full speed, words cannot explain how one felt.

Fortunately 2 of their ships run aground and the British Air force flew over roughly at the same time followed by additional war ships joining us, but those 4 hours I thought it will be the last I would see.

We were part of the Strategic Reserve for another 2 months and we completed another 2 patrols of Borneo before returning home on March 12 ^th 1966. During this period I remember one time when I was ashore in Singapore sitting near the gates to the wharves leading to the HMAS Vendetta having a few drinks and something to eat when it seemed like thousands of Singapore natives came screaming up the street banishing sticks and attacking any British servicemen they laid eyes upon which also included Australian Sailors.

Guys. I received this letter today in a express post envelope which did not display a return address and as you can see this letter was not signed but as a matter of courtesy I have decided to answer the questions raised. There was a Singapore riot in 1965 and I have no idea how much of Singapore it affected but I was at the gates to HMS Terror at a late hour in the night enjoying my last beer and a bite to eat when these guys came roaring through the little town banding ( sic) bamboo cans and hitting every white man in the joint and may I say I did not hang around long at all. We were asked to sail in the morning as a precaution although I believe the ships log does not confirm this or so I was led to believe when Rightways did an investigation on a fellow sailor who lodged a claim in Queensland. The torture of prisoners on board Vendetta, let me say that we took on about 70 guys (women & Children included) and we had them on board for 4 days. These guys were chained on the upper deck although Rightways says that they were left on their boat and the Jimmie (2IC) skippered the boat and we left the Indonesians onboard their vessel. When did the Australian Navy ever leave prisoners on their own vessel when it has been arrested? When we had these guys on board where did they use the toilet? Remember this was a destroyer with 336 sailors on board and we had no females on board in the 60's. When did the Navy allow the Jimmie to leave the ship when we were at action stations as we were still on patrol in an operational area. Firing on Indonesian naval vessels well I guess the crap they used when mounting an invasion of Malaya could be called an "Indonesian navy vessel" as they were manned by Indonesians and in some cases by their Military people and we certainly sank 2 or three of these vessels whilst we were on patrol. The flotilla of Indonesian Naval war ships occurred when we were on duty and were called to sea. We left many sailors behind on the beach as at the time the lucky few were enjoying a "ban yan" (beach bar-b-q) and we did not have time to pick the guys up. When we got to sea I was on duty in the boiler room and when we reached the Indonesian ships we began going full ahead, stop, full ahead etc and I popped up onto the upper deck to have a look and there were many Indonesian war ships not 1500 Meters from us and we were sailing with them up and down the coast. Rightways says there were 2 Indonesian ships involved but can I say that 2 had ran aground with 1 being re floated the next day and the rusting hull of the other is still there today.  I joined the Navy in 1964 and I was 15 years young. When I joined the Vendetta I was an ordinary seaman. I have never made a claim to being a gunnery officer. I am extremely proud to say to all and sundry that I was a stoker. I have also added that I did not climb the ladder above that of a stoker because I had a shit attitude. Who ever lays claim that I have ever posed as a gunnery officer is a bloody liar. You be the judge in this matter but be assured if I can take legal action against you I will not hesitate if you print a defamatory statement concerning me.   Cheers Harry Kirkman Armed Services Assistance Centre Level 4 Advocate (TIP-DVA) PO Box 285 Mount Druitt 2770 Phone/Fax #  (02) 9832 4898 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (02) 9832 4898 FREE  end_of_the_skype_highlighting Mobile # 0405 358 248  Email Address bighasa1@optusnet.com.au   "Providing free assistance in relation to pensions welfare, compensation and entitlements to serving and ex-serving members of the Australian Defence Force and their families". Total Commitment for the Veteran Community.    On receipt of our letter Kirkman broadcast it throughout the veteran community, this resulted in numerous individuals rushing to Kirkmans defence on the basis that he is a friend and an honourable man.  In particular the letter from Mr Ray Brown the President of the Injured Service Persons Association (ISPA) stands out, he, without knowing anything about the case abused us and said we should be chasing people making false Post Traumatic Stress Disorder claims, he then degrades the service of logistics personnel and RAN people involved in the Gulf wars.  See his email Below:   From: Ray Brown [mailto:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Wednesday, 27 June 2007 4:36 PM To: information@anzmi.net Subject: allegations To the spineless coward who questions others,   Since there is no way of defending one self to people who dont have the intestinal fortitude to put their name to correspondence, I would like o pass on the white feather to you & your cohorts.   Maybe exposing ptsd frauds would gain you more widespread support or is that too close to home? Fraudelant claims is more $ draining & more widespread than a fake veteran.   You liken yourselfs to ordinance & cooks who say they went to war but were kms away from the battle such as navy guys in gulf 1 & 2 who were 100's of kms away from battle.   Mr Brown, we hope after  reading this case you have learned to shut up until you know what you are talking about.  We would also hope that you will apologise to "ordinance" (sic) cooks" and "Navy Guys in gulf 1 & 2" for your disparaging remarks

Now we will study records from HMAS VENDETTA's FESR service to see if Kirkman's version of events gel with the official version. The documents we have are:

Reports of Proceedings (ROPs)

The Captain of HMAS Vendetta sent detailed monthly reports to his Admiral, these reports are known as "Reports of Proceedings" ROPs, they include details of day-by-day occurrences about his ship, including movements, operations, morale, social occasions and any other activities. We have copies of each of these reports for the entire deployment.

Statement from the Captain of HMAS VENDETTA

Vice Admiral D W Leach AC CBE LVO RAN (Rtd) in 1965 held the rank of Commander and was the Captain of VENDETTA, we have a statement from Admiral Leach denying any knowledge of a riot in Singapore during VENDETTA's FESR service.

Statement from the Executive Officer HMAS VENDETTA

Admiral M W Hudson AC RAN (Rtd) (now deceased) was the executive officer of VENDETTA in 1965 holding the rank of Lieutenant Commander, we have statements from Admiral Hudson detailing events surrounding Kirkman's statements about the "mistreatment of Two Hundred communist prisoners of war".

Research from Commodore PM Mulcare RAN Rtd

This organisation summed up VENDETTA's 1965 1966 FESR operations as follows: "For HMAS Vendetta and her ship's company, the periods spent on patrol were generally uneventful."

Research by ANZMI investigators

ANALYSIS OF HARRY'S WAR STORY

We can now compare Kirkman's statements with evidence we have gathered. Here are the Kirkman claims that we say are lies

Claim 1.

Involved in a race riot in Singapore on or about the 20 November 1965 or March 1966 (The dates differ depending on who is telling the story)  " not 15 feet from where I was sitting I witnessed the death of a British Sailor from these people bashing him to the head with their sticks and kicking him. I ran for my life with only a few minor bruises and was picked up by the Shore Patrol and whisked back to HMAS Vendetta. I remember that our leave was suspended until we set sail, which was delayed, due to the number of our ships company who were injured during these riots" .

The Truth

HMAS VENDETTA during this cruise tied up in Singapore on eleven different occasions and visited Hong Kong twice. There was no civil unrest in Singapore during late 1965, early 1966.   We can find no historical evidence where a British Naval person was killed and Australian Sailors injured.    There is no mention in any of the seven, Captain's Monthly Reports of Proceedings (RoPs) of injuries to VENDETTA sailors resulting in a delay of departure from Singapore. There is no doubt that had this event occurred it would have been included in a monthly RoPs.  For instance - The Vendetta report for October 1965 reported that "whilst tied up in Hong Kong on the 10 ^th October 1965, shore leave was restricted for the crew, because of the possibility of civil unrest during the celebration of the Founding of Communist China ."  On this occasion, a Concert Group entertained the crew on the wharf; this was paid for from the ships welfare fund. Because of the concern by the Captain about civil unrest in Hong Kong it is most unlikely that he would have not mentioned civil unrest in Singapore where his crew were directly involved, some being injured and a British Naval person killed.

We believe the episode is a lie that has very serious implications for Kirkman and others. We are reliably advised that Kirkman and other sailors from the same ship may have conspired to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs by using this and other imagined events in claims for benefits.

The history of Singapore Riots is  well documented as part of the history of Singapore. There have been no riots involving Singapore and the United Kingdom.  

1. 23 April 1955 there was a workers union dispute, known as the Hock Lee Bus Depot Riots in which 2 police, one student and a journalist were killed

2. 21 Jul 1964 on the birthday of the prophet Muhammad a race riot developed between Chinese and Malay groups. There were two distinct elements to this riot as there was a second flare up in September 1964.

3. 11 Mar 1965 a terror bomb exploded at the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank in Orchard Road, 2 girls were killed.

Singapore's then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew declared on 9 August 1964 that Singapore was a sovereign, democratic and independent State. Singapore had no problem with the United Kingdom when Kirkman first arrived in Singapore in late August 1965. There are no records of racial tension between "Singapore natives and "White fellas" (as described by Kirkman). The Captain of the VENDETTA knew nothing about the "riot", his injured sailors, or the delay in sailing because of their injuries. Any delays in sailing would have been included in the RoPs, for instance in paragraph 30 of his February 1966 report the Captain says:

"VENDETTA, in company with H.M.A.S. DUCHESS, sailed from Singapore Naval Base at 2200 on the evening of the 24 ^th bound for Darwin, the original time of sailing having been delayed four hours by the successes of sailors from both ships in the Boxing Finals of MILLSPORT.

Claim 2.

Held Two Hundred communist insurgents including women and children chained to the deck of VENDETTA where they were gruesomely tortured.

Para 27 of the November 65 RoP, says nothing in relation to the 200 prisoners chained to the quarterdeck.

"After a command Team briefing at Fleet headquarters on Friday 26th, VENDETTA sailed for MALACCA Straights patrol on Monday 29th, expecting to return to Singapore by Saturday 4th December.  The highlight of the patrol to date has been the assistance in the arrest of an Indonesian coaster by K.D SRI PERLIS (a Malaysian Naval vessel) off Cape Rachado on the evening of the 30th November. This was reported in my Restricted Message D.T.G. 020945Z"

Paras 3 and 4 of the December 65 Rops.

 "The first four days of December were spent on Malacca Straits patrol in the Sembilan Islands, Cape Rachado, and Pulau Bengkalis areas. the ship refueled from F.F.A. EDDYROCK on Thursday 2nd"

"At 0800 on Saturday 4th the Bengkalis deterrent patrol was completed and VENDETTA proceeded to Singapore berthing at 1445 on HMAS DUCHESS at number 6 Berth"

Claim 3.

Served during the confrontation as gunnery officer on HMAS Vendetta.

Kirkman was an Able Seaman Mechanical Engineer or better known as a Stoker.  Stokers don't fix engines or do any mechanical work they are the roust-a-abouts of the engine room. If guns were fired their "Action Station" may be helping to supply ammunition from ships magazine to Guns. A Gunnery Officer is a commissioned officer in the Royal Australian Navy, Kirkman was a junior sailor, who would not have been allowed anywhere near a Ships Gun. In fact there were only two Gunnery Officers onboard VENDETTA and they were the Captain and the Executive Officer.  Kirkman says in his statement number 4.  "Whoever lays claim that I posed as a gunnery officer is a bloody liar".   That aspect was very clearly reported in the Melbourne Age and the reporter wrote what he was told by Kirkman.

Claim 4.

"HMAS Vendetta did not engage, nor did hostile forces engage her, during Confrontation.  The ship did conduct what was reported as a naval gunfire support firing exercise in Wallace Bay in North Borneo on 12 November 1965.

The RoP said in relation to the fire support exercise. Paragraph 15 to November 1965 RoP – "On completion of patrol on the night of 11/12^th VENDETTA anchored in the approaches to WALLACE BAY for a naval gunfire support firing exercise.  This was successfully carried out, spotting being provided by the Royal Artillery Regiment."

Claim 5.

On the 10^th December we were ordered to sail toward Raffles Light where we met up with over 80 Indonesian War ships sailing up and down the waterway at full speed .  We were unsure what the Indonesian's intentions were so we sailed up and down the coast with them…….. .when I came to the upper deck and looked over to the Indonesian Navy sailing what looked like a hundred yards of our starboard I was extremely scared that I would not see home again.

Well Harry the Indonesian Navy never had 80 ships to sail up and down at full speed. If they did it would have been one of the greatest Naval Armadas since the Spanish Fleet had a go at Britain in the year 1588.  Let's see what the Captain of HMAS VENDETTA said about this "massive international incident"

 para 8 of the RoPs for the month of December 1965

"A day patrol between Tanjong Ayam anbd St. John's Light was carried out on Thursday 9th shifting to the Horsburgh Light area at dusk.  Two Indonesian Warship sightings were made that day, one Riga and one Kronstadt proceeding westwards from the Rhio Strait."

para 11 of the December 1965 Report

At no time did any of the Indonesian vessels make threatening manoeuvres or gestures towards VENDETTA whilst being photographed in the embarrassing situation of having run aground.  Harry's declaration describing a major naval operation of an extremely dangerous nature is false

This is simply another episode of falsely declaring a "Severe Stressor" type situation for the purpose of claiming a benefit from The Department of Veterans Affairs.

Claim 6.

We were the only ship between the communist enemy and non-communist Malays.

HMAS VENDETTA was part of a fleet of Commonwealth ships operating in the region as Strategic Reserve Service (SRS).   In fact there were twenty six other ships three submarines and one Shackleton Bomber (used for aerial observation) that we were able to count. These were :

RAN               HMAS, Duchess, Ibis, Teal, Snipe, Sydney,

RN Subs        Oberon, Ambush, Anchorite

KD                   Hang Tuah

SOML             3507

HMNZS          Taranaki

MV                  Tivoli            

RAF                Shackleton Bomber

Summation

 Harry Kirkman and his co-conspirators seem to subscribe to the theory "the more often something is said the more likely it will be believed", and also "the bigger the lie the more likely it will be believed." Three separate sailors from the 1965-1966 HMAS VENDETTA FESR operations have formally declared "Stressor" inducing events occurred whilst they were crew on VENDETTA. It is most likely that they have all knowingly made false declarations to gain benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

We are reliably advised that in the 1960s era Statutory Declarations were a very common document in the Royal Australian Navy; any minor indiscretion could be rectified by a few slick words on a "Stat Dec". Because of such common usage, perhaps some sailors have forgotten that the law will not be your friend if you are detected knowingly lying on a Statutory Declaration.  

The small print shown on a New South Wales Statutory Declaration says as follows:

"A person who wilfully makes a false statement in a statutory declaration under the Statutory Declarations act 1959 as amended is guilty of an offence against the Act, the punishment for which is a fine not exceeding $200 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both if the offence is prosecuted summarily, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding four years if the offence is prosecuted upon indictment .

It matters not whether the statements on the Declarations were accepted as true or rejected as false by the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), what matters is that Kirkman and others may have knowingly made false declarations for the purpose of gaining benefit from the DVA.

We have received numerous reports about Kirkman similar to the one shown below:

"Harry Kirkman, whilst the sub-branch President of St Mary's, openly bragged to all and sundry that he was made a TPI (Totally and Permanently Incapacitated) was involved in a riot whilst serving on HMAS Vendetta during which a British MP was killed. He and a number of sailors were posted to Vendetta before being escorted back onto Vendetta".

It is common knowledge that Harry Kirkman and another sailor  made Statutory Declarations in support of a veteran claiming a severe stressor for the "riot incident".   These Statements are known to be false.  The riot did not happen, nor were Two Hundred communists including women and children tortured on the deck of HMAS VENDETTA,

Jack Keinzley - Masterton New Zealand

Nahhhhh this fake and impostor is a nephew of the famous Jack Keinzley - one of those imbeciles who like to pretend that he, similar to his famous uncle was a real veteran who had been involved in many conflicts. This clowns only service was as a "Seaman boy" for eight months before he was discharged in 1961 for failing Navy physical standards.

It seems that on last ANZAC day when the fake Keinzley was photographed the photographers were so taken by his chest full of medals that they forgot to catch his countenance and we ask that if anyone can help by supplying a recent photo of this dill we will display him prominently at the start of the story.

ANZMI, like many genuine New Zealand veterans are waiting with interest to see if any charges are laid against Keinzley.

We know that our neighbours across the Tasman don't like being told what to do, but I'm sure that all New Zealand veterans will agree when we ask them that next time this dill shows his face at a veterans function to remove him from the scene - with pomp and ceremony, and at the same time drink a toast to the real Jack Keinzley a renowned soldier who does not deserve being emulated by a stupid nephew.

Below are follow up newspaper clippings resulting from the fake Keinzley's appearance on ANZAC Day 2007.

From our experience dealing with wannabes of all kinds, we find  they share many behavioural traits. We created a profile that is indicative that a person may be a wannabe. Tony Bees fits many aspects of our wannabe profile because he claims the following

 

Most Australian veterans would look twice or even thrice at Tony Bees rack of medals as worn when the Bribie Island Naval Association Sub Section and the Returned Services League Sub Branch combined to commemorate Korean Forces Day at Bribie Island on Queenslands Sunshine Coast on the 27 July 2006. However nothing seems to have been said, or done.  We stumbled on to Tony Bees photograph whilst working on another matter, subsequently we learnt that a Returned and Services League (RSL) Sub Branch has been wrestling with the Tony Bees issue for more than ten years. See the photo Below:

 

  

Bees is wearing on the top row a Military Medal and Bar (MM) (Imperial bravery medals) two British Army Korea medals, a General Service medal and another unrecognised medal. The bottom row consists of United States (US) medals including a Silver Star (bravery medal), Bronze Star, Purple Heart (awarded by US for being wounded in action) and two other medals. A "Bar" worn on a bravery medal means that the medal has been awarded twice. In the Bees photo the "Bar", is the silver horizontal device about a third of the way up the ribbon above the actual medal. It is clearly visible in the photograph and by wearing it Tony  Bees is declaring that he has won the Military Medal for bravery on two occasions.

 

 

 

We urge Ex Service Organisations to take early decisive action against suspected wannabes, those unable to solve a wannabe problem have an open invitation to seek our help - 7 days a week 24 hours a day. Simply send advice to information@anzmi.net 

We wrote to Tony Bees and requested that he show evidence of having received the various bravery awards. Here is his reply

 

Original Message -----

From: Tony Bee

To: information@anzmi.net

Sent: Friday, September 07, 2007 9:14 AM

Subject: letter

 

Dear ANZMI.

 

Mr Bees joined the British regular Army in 1949 and trained as a Assault commando then went into a tank Regiment.

 

He served in Far East Land Forces in different countries and emergencies also in British Army Of the Rhine.

 

On the question of Medals in 1999 the then Executive of the Nambour RSL sub branch instigated an investigation on the same subject as you are doing now, and got the same results from the Ministry of defence.

 

Mr Bees however did get a reply from the war office on this issue,he then gave all the relevant documents to his Arbitrator at that time "RSM Frank Pallet  RAA OAM Retd" (since Deceased) to be passed on at that meeting, The executive were satisfied with this report and placed all the documents relating to this incident into thier (sic) Archives  by the branch Secretary.

 

Mr Bees does not receive any type of Pension from DVA nor any Benifits (sic) from DVA, that is why he has to do the job he does at his age to survive, He also states as it seems to be a problem for your faceless enquirers,He will never again wear any Medals to any ANZAC parade or reunion .

 

 Yours sincerely

 

 Sasquall

 

The email appears to have been written by Anthony Bees himself his email address is sasqual@westnet.com.au The word "sasqual" of course alludes to him being qualified as an Special Air Service (SAS) soldier.

 

Bees did not know that we had the above photo when he answered our letter and he has failed to address the issue of the Bar to "his" Military Medal  and the United States bravery medals. The only medals mentioned in the RSL meeting referred to in his email  above related to wearing a Military Medal (MM) with no Bar.

 

We well know that the UK Ministry of Defence will not disclose information about British ex servicemen.  Service Records can be acquired with the consent of the ex soldier but for obvious  reasons  Bees will not give permission.  There are many other avenues to gain information about soldiers from the United Kingdom. This includes Ex Service Associations, and for bravery awards recipients The London Gazette

 

In his reply, Bees alludes to an investigation at a Queensland RSL where, with the assistance of "RSM Frank Pallett RAA OAM Retd"  (now deceased) he produced "conclusive" evidence to the RSL committee "proving" his credentials as a Special Forces hero who had been awarded a Military Medal.  What was that evidence?

 

1.  A letter purporting to have been written by Major Lowther, Bart

     "proving" Bees clandestine service in Kenya. (The post nominal

     "Bart" means Baronet).

 

2.  A Statutory Declaration signed by Bees and witnessed by Frank

     Pallett JP.

 

At the meeting where the above evidence was presented by Bees the following verbal information was also tendered ;  "Bees informed us that he had been awarded the Military Medal for a brave act in rescuing a farmer's wife and two children hiding under a veranda in Kenya, Africa.  This was during the Mau Mau uprising not Korea as mentioned in this original email." 

 

The RSL never scrutinised the letter from Major Lowther, Bart, it was only shown to the RSL President, who then wrote a note to the committee.  Here is the Letter written by the then President, and the Statutory Declaration presented to the committee by Bees and Frank Pallett

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is what Anthony Bees declared on the "scribbly" Statutory Declaration:

 

"I do hereby declare that I wear the Military Medal Awarded to me by the British Government under circumstances which I am not allowed to disclose with great honour.  My no and rank on discharge 22276149 Tpr Bees.  I am fully aware of the Penalties for making a false statement as I am a Justice of the Peace Queensland"

 

Our UK Agent advises that there is not now, and never has been a "Major Lowther, Barts" of Special Forces, Thetford, England. The letter seen by the then President is a forgery and Bees is the most logical suspect to be the forger. The Statutory Declaration is false and as Bees has said on the declaration "I am fully aware of the penalties for making a false statement".   Anthony Bees has told lies on a Statutory Declaration to gain benefit and must be prosecuted by the law.

 

 

In his reply email, Bees has said:  Mr Bees does not receive any type of Pension from DVA nor any Benifits (sic) from DVA, that is why he has to do the job he does at his age to survive.

 

 

 In this statement he is drawing a very long bow. The Queensland State Coroners office say they have no "Part Time Coroners", in fact Bees works in the morgue of a regional hospital. Claiming to be a "Part Time Coroner" is  akin to a Council Street Sweeper claiming to be "Part time Mayor". In relation to "DVA (Department of Veterans Affairs) benefits."  Bees has no entitlement to benefits from DVA, however we believe he is administered by DVA on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, War Disablement Pension organisation and is in receipt of some benefits from that UK office. 

Anthony Bees claims to have been involved in clandestine military operations in Kenya that he is forbidden to speak about because of obligations under the Official Secrets Act of the United Kingdom. As well as the letter from the mysterious " Major Lowther, Barts" other evidence of this "secret work" is shown on his 1993 dated application to join the RSL. On the document signed by Bees on the 12 Oct 1993 - Shown below - Bees says his rank was from "Cpl - Major" and he claims service with the Army and "Other" in Korea, Malaysia and "Other". (Inferring secret service and secret destinations)

 

In the British Army there is a rank Corporal Major. If Bees was claiming to have been a Corporal Major he would have written "Cpl Major" on the RSL Application and not " Cpl - Major" indicating his rank went from Corporal to Major. A Corporal Major in the British Army is equivalent to a Warrant Officer - a Regimental Corporal Major being equivalent to a Warrant Officer First Class and a Squadron Corporal Major equivalent to a Warrant Officer Second Class. Bees Certificate of Discharge shows him as being a Trooper on discharge after twelve years service, that rank is equivalent to a Private soldier.

The above document shows his discharge date as 21 April 1966. The document he purports is his Certificate of Discharge shows his discharge date as 25 April 1961. The Certificate of Discharge further shows, that although his discharge date was 25 April 1961 it was signed on the 24 March 1961.  There are numerous suspicious  marks on the certificate that indicate it has been altered. See Below:  

We have further documentation from other sources to show Bees was never awarded an MM and Bar.  (For brevity we will not show the complete documents):

The British Commonwealth Ex-Services League, 48 Pall Mall London SWIY 7308 state:

"I have today had confirmation that the MM was not awarded to him for any operation whether covert or otherwise"
"you will wish to know we have checked all London Gazettes for the period from 1952 to 1962 which covers Kenya, Cyprus, Malaya, Suez, Korea, Trucial States, Aden and the Congo and no MM has ever been awarded to anyone called BEES.  These gazette issues include awards to all UK and Commonwealth Forces and locally enlisted forces such as the Aden Levies etc under British Command.  Unless it was awarded prior or after these dates then he is not entitled to wear this decoration" .

Google Search Engine

If you follow the instructions below there you have 90 pages of British Recipients of the Military Medal. Anthony Bees is not among them.
       Google Search    -    Military Medal
       Scroll to Military Medal Wikipedia
       Click and scroll down to Category: Recipients of the MM

There are numerous British soldiers listed who are shown as having received the award whilst serving with Special Air Service.
        .
The Royal Armoured Corps War Memorial Benevolent Fund C/- Regimental Headquarters, Royal Tank Regiment, Stanley barracks, Bovington UK state:

"I have made enquiries with the Medals Office (Army) and the Military Secretaries branch 16, MOD. Both offices have no record of Mr Bees being awarded the Military Medal (MM)"

UK Ministry of Defence - Army Historical Branch, 3-5 Great Scotland Yard London advise: inter alia

"We have found no records to suggest that Mr Bees was awarded the Military medal"

 

The London Gazette:

The London Gazette promulgates all honours and awards and officer promotions. Bees is not listed anywhere in the London Gazette as he would have been, if he were awarded an MM or been commissioned as an Officer as shown on his RSL Application.  In addition the mysterious "Maj Lowther, Bart" does not appear anywhere in the London Gazette.

It is well known that persons receiving honours whilst serving with Special Forces, for security reasons may be  listed in the London Gazette under their "home" unit, meaning the unit in which they served before working with Special Forces. This means that even though a medal may have been awarded for work with Special Forces it is still promulgated in the London Gazette against their "home unit".  Bravery Awards for Special Forces personnel are not suppressed for security reasons, especially those supposedly awarded fifty years ago.

We have found no records in the London Gazette to suggest that Mr Bees was awarded the Military Medal in any unit in the United Kingdom.

Bees Korean unit The 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars know nothing of his MM and Bar. We received this email through an intermediary.

During this investigation we found no evidence to indicate that Tony Bees earned any of the USA awards that he "sported" on the occasion of the Bribie Island ceremony on the 27 July 2006. They are all fakes. This is the first known occasions that he has worn them, and a Bar to the Military Medal. Tony Bees laid a remembrance wreath at that event on behalf of the Sunshine Coast Korean Veterans Association Inc. On that occasion every genuine veteran attending must have found his rack of medals rather odd, however nothing was done by anybody attending. It is a gross insult to those being remembered to have the wreath laid by a scandalous, unrepentant pretender.

Bees is the President of the Korean Veterans Sunshine Coast Association Incorporated, in Queensland. Was his election to President assisted by his contemptuous acts of medal fraud?  Surely veterans from the Sunshine Coast could have figured out that Bees is a fraud, his array of medals is ludicrous. It has been stated by members of that organization that Bees is known to be a fraud, but "does such a good job as President they let him be" - How could genuine Korean veterans have such notions festering in their brains? Aiding and abetting wannabes and military frauds is equally offensive as the act it self.

Time and technology have caught up with older frauds like Tony Bees, who seem to think that migrating to the Antipodes shields them from scrutiny, however, ANZMI through the miracle of the Internet and their massive cumulative military experience can reach into filing cabinets in most countries of the world.

 Our ANZMI agent resident in the UK has been kept extremely busy these last few years - and looks forward to assisting us in any further investigations.