Herve` is an Artist as well as a Steward and we assume he “souped” up his name to paint a better picture of himself to impress his "Arty" mates. He is known in art circles for his religious paintings and his historical dioramas. He was a member of the Hornsby, NSW Art Society, and the following report identifies Herve` aka Harvie the artist.

“Hornsby Art Society Members Exhibition This year, visitors are in for a treat when they come to Hornsby Art Gallery to see Members' works. As well as a variety of quality paintings from Hornsby Art Society members, there will be a special display of 16 hand crafted historical dioramas created by member, William Hervé. This is the first time the display has been on show for public viewing. Until recently, William painted many art works with a religious theme. Then, about two years ago he discovered the magic of dioramas, and decided to add dioramas to his creative palette and engage others through this interesting visual medium. A Vietnam War veteran and a keen historian, William has extensively researched each period he has presented, to accurately portray the countryside, lifestyles of the people, their uniforms and equipment used in various periods of war. He states: "I don't like war, and in no way glorify it, but I find making dioramas a good way of recording history to share it with younger generations." Chief Hanger from the gallery's hanging team, Tony Prince, will also exhibit several of his handcrafted model aero planes. An exhibition not to be missed! The Exhibition will open on Wednesday 3 December 2008.”

 

Note the “blurb” says that Herve` aka Harvie is a “keen historian”. As shown below in relation to his own history of his Vietnam service he is very much more of a fiction writer than a historian.

Herve` the “historian” having adopted a "racy" French name, could not be satisfied with serving as a Navy Steward in Vietnam, so he has adopted  a new service history changing from mundane galley duties to sinister, heroic secret missions.
 
He claims to have been a marksman in the Navy, there is nothing on his service record to prove or disprove that claim, but we believe it is germane to his other claims. His statements are shown below.
 
He was seconded to the United States Navy because he was a Marksman.
 
He operated under a false name as the missions he undertook would cause outrage back home in Australia and the United States.
 
On several missions he had to shoot women and children, when tunnel systems were discovered in villages. 
 
He was awarded two medals for bravery by the United States Government but was unable to accept these awards on advice from the Australian Government.
 
His name does not show up on the Australian Vietnam Veteran nominal Rolls because the missions were classified secret by the United States Military.

We hold Statutory Declarations relating to the above statements here is an excerpt.

William Jean-Paul Herve` does appear on the Vietnam Nominal Roll - see below.  He is listed as R64987 William Thomas Harvie his current name, William Jean-Paul Herve` does not appear on the Nominal Roll because he adopted it well after his Navy service was completed

  

We have contacted both senior and junior RAN personnel who served with Herve` aka Harvie on HMAS Vendetta whilst in Vietnamese waters, they are disgusted with Herve’s claims, and state very clearly that he never left the ship.

 
Simply put Herve` aka Harvie was not seconded to the US Navy for special operations, it is ludicrous to say that a Steward would be deployed in such a way, even if he were a Marksman, which is very much doubted.

 

Perhaps Herve` aka Harvie got the notion from the Steven Seagal movie "Under Siege" where an Admiral's very meek Cook/Steward was really a hot shot undercover operator. 
 
Left wing politics during the Vietnam War made a lot of noise about Australian and Allied forces killing women and children.  It is an abhorrent assertion, and any genuine veterans like Herve` who maliciously and dishonestly add weight to that false notion deserves to be treated with contempt by the Veteran Community.
 
Herve’ aka Harvie never left HMAS Vendetta to embark on covert operations ashore in Vietnam, he is a disgusting liar who has grossly exaggerated his service and brought disrepute to the Royal Australian Navy by claiming that he killed Vietnamese women and children.

 

Herve` now joins the ranks of other disgraced ex sailor wannabes like Hammal, Kirkman, Robinson, Nelson, benSerai, Muller, Taylor, Pidgeon, Wright and others who will remain on our web site until the day they die.