Recently a very cunning wannabe was exposed having talked his way through the checks and balances to became a fully fledged member of the SAS Association and to some extent participated in unit “activities”.   We can only conclude that if a smooth talking conman and wannabe can talk his way into the heart of the SASR, a professional seeking ‘who knows what kind of information, could also do it very easily. Ian Hutchinson looked like an ex SAS Trooper, dressed like an ex SAS Trooper and almost talked like an ex SAS Trooper.

 

 

 

 

In addition to medals, Hutchinson is wearing the SAS Sandy Beret with SAS Badge together with an SAS Tie, Lapel badge and an Infantry Combat Badge (ICB).  Hutchinson is entitled to wear the medals but has not entitlement to the SAS accoutrements or the ICB

 

Hutchinson served in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps and in Vietnam spent most of his time as a Private soldier in 1^st Australian Field Hospital. Here are details of his Vietnam service as shown on the Department of Veterans Affairs Nominal Roll.

 

 

Hutchinson started his deceit in the mid 1990s, when he made himself known to other younger SAS Troopers and ingratiated himself by doing favours for them and with slick talk convinced them that he served as an SAS Patrol Commander in Vietnam:

 

In 1997, some serving soldiers from SAS went fishing and caught a few crayfish. They called in to the local pub and asked if they could cook the crayfish on the hotel BBQ. Initially they were told 'No', but one of the blokes noticed the hotel manager had a chain with the SAS winged dagger on it. XXXXXX introduced himself as being a serving member of SAS and the manager introduced himself as Ian Hutchinson G Troop, 2 Sqn SAS Vietnam. They got their crays cooked and had a few beers with who they thought was an ex SAS Vietnam Patrol Commander. No one suspected anything until Sept 2009 when he was uncovered as a fraud. It is believed he has even lied to his wife.  She often attended and enjoyed SAS related functions with him.

 

Hutchinson had some knowledge about SAS because in 1971 as a member of the Medical Corps  he attended and failed the SAS selection course.

 

During the years he was pretending to be an ex SAS Trooper he usually marched with the SAS Regiment on ANZAC Day and illegally wore the coveted SAS Sandy Beret. He last marched on ANZAC Day 2009.  We have cropped this photo of him confidently swaggering along among genuine ex SAS personnel.

 

 

Hutchinson was hoist on his own petard when he had the temerity to agree to give a lecture within SAS, on jungle warfare as an SAS Patrol Commander in Vietnam. Because he had never been a Patrol Commander his audience could see through his charade.

 

In September 2009 as a result of his failed lecture, Hutchinson’s record of service was checked for the first time since he began associating with SAS members and as a result his reputation went from hero to zero when it was discovered he was a fraud and a wannabe

 

Hutchinson deliberately ingratiated himself with serving SAS soldiers, he hooked them on a fishing trip using the bait of an SAS Winged Dagger badge hanging around his neck, then for years mercilessly and without conscience deceived those who thought he was their friend.

 

Hutchinson is a shameful person who will remain on this web site for the remainder of his life. In the light of current political threats to Australia we urge the SAS Association to carry out an audit of its current members and take more care with future Association applications

 

4 Jul 2010