We thought there were no snakes in New Zealand (NZ) however we have discovered one very big  wannabe serpent lurking around the land of the long white cloud.

New Zealander, Robert Steven Gilchrist lives in a different place than mere earthlings, his life has been spent quelling evil wherever it may dwell.  Gilchrist has built a whole life around his New Zealand Special Air Service (SAS) “operations”.  In the photo below he is dressed up to play war games, which despite his ludicrous claims is about as close as he has ever got to the real thing. You will notice that he looks like he just got off the airplane from Kabul.

We hold a Statutory Declaration supporting many of the ludicrous claims made by Robert Gilchrist. Here are examples:

Joined NZ Army at sixteen years of age at Timaru Recruiting Office.

Was asked to do officer training very early on but refused as he thought he was too young.  Did it a year or so later though.

Was made a Lieutenant which was the rank he held when he went for SAS selection. Passed selection, and was dismayed to learn there were no positions for a Lieutenant, so he immediately resigned his commission to enlist in 1NZSAS as a Private Soldier.  SAS told him not to be silly "we will sort something out".   He then did SAS stuff and eventually became a Captain. He was a Captain until he left in 1991.

His mum never knew but his father suspected as he often brought home his weapons and left them in the hallway while he showered etc and his father saw them.

He was under artillery fire in Bosnia whilst in a sniper position also saw babies torn up in Bosnia.

Drove around Bosnia with UN berets in the glove box, only putting them on, if they needed to avoid trouble.

Gilchrist has 3 videos he claims were of him, one of which had a voice VERY like his yelling orders as SAS practiced explosive Methods of Entry (MOE). Pretty sure the video was legit as the other voice was very Maori sounding. (Gilchrist’s voice could have been overlaid by Gilchrist later).

Was (post 1991) given a rank of Lt again in order to be in charge of the OPFOR during a CT exercise here in Christchurch before Bill Clinton visit.

Shows a ceremonial dagger plaque he was given as a thank you for that particular operation.

Mentions an operation he was involved in at a farm house down south where a sales rep from some company or other inadvertently wandered in and was taken hostage for a day or so.

Doing Counter Terrorism work  and being aboard a 737 at the airport and got a female police officer to deliver food to them half naked in return for releasing a hostage

Told us he would see about getting us in as "hostages" when the SAS were exercising here a few years ago using a 737 body at the airport. Sadly, we were not allowed due to some reason or other...

Frequently trained with the police Combined Threat Assessment Group (CTAG) and Special Tactics Group (STG) guys while he was in the SAS as well.

Medically discharged from the SAS after injuring his back after falling out of a helicopter.

He was an ex-soldier and eventually confided to his closest friends that he had served in the Special Air Service (SAS) before injuring his knee and leaving the Army (and yes he showed us his titanium knee and his collection of SAS memorabilia).

He told me he had been with the Diplomatic Protection squad and produced a badge in a black folder claiming it to be his get out of jail free card.

Often involved in assassinations of drug dealers in South America and special operations in places he could not talk about.

He has a foot by foot square case with a chrome Sykes and Fairburn commando dagger in it that he said was given to him when he finished with the regiment

There is a photo in KIWI DISPOSALS army surplus shop of a guy in black with a respirator on, abseiling down a building in Christchurch. Rob claims this to be him

He also claimed to be able go get hold of many military goodies, knives, vests etc as he could get them straight from SAS stores
.
His house was being paid for by the government under the SAS service agreement for retired soldiers.

He claimed to be suffering from Parkinson’s Disease as a result of chemical poisoning from the military last time I spoke face to face with him and he would start shaking depending on who was in the room.

He has a corps belt and beret that he claimed were his from his time with the regiment

His tactic from what I have read is to immediately attack anyone who questions his past and try and bring their credibility into question, therefore diverting the attention from him.

Some emails authored by Gilchrist have been unearthed the first one was written in 2005 and says:

From: Admin@NZScanners
Date: 14 October 2005 11:43:00 AM
To:
Subject: The Pilgrims 50th

Dear xxxxxxxx
 
I noticed a webpage advert for the NZSAS 50th celebrations at Fighttimes.com.
 
I never served in the NZSAS (only an ex T.F. grunt) however I am a collector of militaria, specifically sellective New Zealand Militaria.
 
Are these items available for anyone to purchase or are they just limited to serving and Ex members of the NZSAS?
 
If you could get back to me and let me know if it is possible to order a number of these items it would be very much appreciated,
 
Regards
 
Rob

Then in 2005 Gilchrist sent an email to our predecessor organization (CPMH) advising us of a suspected UK SAS Wannabe who was residing in NZ.

From: -=zeroalpha=-
Date: 1 September 2005 2:06:00 AM
To: 'enquiries@cpmh.net'
Subject: 23 SAS Posuer

Hi,
 
I have come across a person claiming to have served with 23SAS(V) in the UK.
 
Are you guys able to verify his service?
 
Personally, based on his stories (I'm ex NZ Army myself, nothing special just a lowly LCpl Grunt) I think he is full of shit.
 
If you are able to verify this guys claims, it would be much appreciated.
 
Please let me know what you need.
 
Cheers
 
Rob

Note that in 2005 Gilchrist was telling people that he had served only in the part time NZ Territorial Forces.

There is a sinister aspect to Gilchrist.  Whilst in the grips of the Psychologica Fantastica  commonly termed the Walter Mitty syndrome, he allegedly became a police informant spying on and informing on an Animal Rights Network.   After you have read the rest of our entry have a look at the very detailed report here http://www.converge.org.nz/abc/pr38-180b.htm  

As a member of the Animal Rights Network, Gilchrist was planning illegal activities for the group then at the last minute he would “drop out” and “dob” the group into the police. During his time with this organization he became more and more unstable and was admitted to a psychiatric ward a couple of times. He confessed to having serious mental issues but said this was because of “post traumatic stress disorder from his Army years”.

Gilchrist has never served with the elite New Zealand SAS; he is a liar a fraud and a wannabe. He is a long term offender and will most likely re-offend. We ask NZ veterans to keep a watch for this slippery character.

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.