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Mealey commenced his
two years of National Service on the 2nd
October, 1969 and was posted to 2 Recruit Training
Battalion for his basic army training. He was then
posted to 3 Training Battalion on the 10th
December 1969 where he completed his Infantry Corps
training.
On the 23rd
March 1970 he was posted as an ECN 343 Rifleman to
attend the 3/70 Basic SAS Training Cadre which ran from
08th April to 13th May 1970 as the
first phase of qualifying as an SAS Trooper. Those that
completed and passed phase one would go on to do phase
two, the Basic Static Line Parachute course which would
qualify them as an SAS Trooper and the right to wear the
SAS Sandy Beret and SAS Badge.
Mealey failed the
first phase before the cadre was completed and attended
an Army Trade course known as a Driver T 109 which
qualified the person to drive a number of types of army
vehicles. He completed this course on the 19thJune
1970 and was formally posted to Base Squadron SAS
Regiment as a Driver ECN T 109. He was with Base
Squadron till his discharge from the army on the 30th
September 1971.
NOTE. ECN.....Employment
Category Number.... A method of classification of
various employments within the Australian Military
system.
In the South Western
Times, dated Thursday May 2, 2002 a photo appears of
Mealey marching on ANZAC Day with a group of qualified
ex SAS members in Bunbury. He is wearing the coveted SAS
Sandy beret which he is not entitled to wear as he
failed the basic SAS course.
He was last seen
wearing the beret on the 29th April 2007 at
Subiaco Oval. This was part of the 50th
Anniversary of the SAS Regiment prior to the Len Hall
AFL commemorative game starting between the Fremantle
Dockers and Adelaide. Members of the SAS Association
marched around the oval whilst 44 Army cadets marched
onto the oval, each carrying a flag depicting the SAS
coat of arms in remembrance of the 44 members of the
regiment who were killed on duty.
The Len Hall AFL
commemorative game was started by the Fremantle Dockers
as a tribute to the last West Australian World War 1
Gallipoli Veteran who later passed away on the 24th
February 1999, aged 101.
Mealey is the second
National Service person to be exposed as falsely wearing
the SAS beret when not entitled to do so. Though he is
not claiming to be a veteran he is by wearing the SAS
beret showing his lack of loyalty or respect to serving
and ex-serving members of the SAS Regiment as well as
those that have fallen on active service or in training
that did the hard yards to earn the right to wear the
beret. Members of the SAS Regiment as well as the
members of the SAS Association must be wondering how
this could be happening. Surely the credentials of
anyone applying must be checked out especially for an
elite unit such as the SAS. We know he is a member of
the WA Branch and it will be interesting to see if the
WA Branch of the SAS Association will expel this fraud
or keep him on in their Association as they have with
Dennis Liddelow who also appears on our site.
Is the SAS Association
no better than a number of RSL branches that are
mentioned on this site for failing to check the
credentials of members they have let into their branches
and occupy high positions in their branches.
A number of wannabes
claiming SAS or Special Forces service appear on our
site and after Mc Gibbon was caught out we would have
thought the SAS Association would have carried out a
back ground check on all its members.
20th Dec 2010
Well
we finally have an update from a disgruntled member
of the SAS Association to advise us what has been
done by the WA Branch in regard to John Mealey and
Dennis Liddelow who were both National servicemen
and posted to the SAS Regiment and appear on our web
site. The WA Branch Committee has taken it
upon itself to form a Disciplinary Sub-Committee and
accept apologies from Mealey and Liddelow on behalf
of the WA Branch and the SAS Regiment
It is obvious that the WA Branch Committee
is a law onto itself and does not keep its members
informed of what is occurring and appear to be
covering up the fact that two of its members appear
on our web site.. The future will tell what effect
that will have on its membership.
When
a person appearing on our web site submits an
apology our criteria is set out below.
1. They offer a written apology to the veteran
community at large, and
2. They offer a written apology to their
unit/ship/muster
3. The offended Veterans accept the apology.
The apology must be accepted by all, not
a few.
One must assume the committee knows that
number of its members and the unit would not accept
their apology, thus the reason for the way they
handle things.
They
will remain on our web site for eternity and we will
be adding updates as members of the public report
any other information to us.
To
ANZMI
Subject Mealey and Liddelow on your web site.
This is to advise you that on the 29th August 2010,
the WA Branch of the Australian SAS Association held
an Annual General Meeting. A member of the committee
put forward two motions to have Mealey and Liddelow
who both appear on your web site be expelled from
the WA Branch in breach of the WA Constitution in
that they have brought discredit to the Regiment and
the Association. The reference to the Association
Constitution wording is “To preserve the Regiment’s
good name and guard its interests”.
Only a small group of the members attended the
Annual General Meeting, compared to the number of
members within the branch. The motions were not sent
out with the AGM papers 30 days prior to the meeting
as required by the Incorporation Act so most members
would not have known about the motions nor would
they know the story behind the motions in that two
of the WA Branch members appear on your site. They
would not also be aware that Liddelow, the worst of
the two has lied about his short service when posted
to the SAS Regiment to finish off his National
Service as a steward.
Only a small number of members attending the meeting
voted to expel them, the rest don’t seem to mind
that both have worn the SAS Beret and Badge when not
qualified to do so and that Liddelow has told a lot
of lies serving in Vietnam with the SAS and having
one of the highest kill rates.
It appears that if you have been posted to the
Regiment at some time, it makes no difference what
lies you tell about your service with the Regiment
or that you have worn the SAS Beret and Badge which
is not an easy task to earn the right to wear the
beret and badge of the SAS Regiment or any Special
Force unit, you will be protected.
It appears that a Disciplinary Sub-Committee was
formed and discussed the cases of Mealey and
Liddelow and came up with recommendations. I did ask
my mate what has happened about them as I was not at
the meeting. He sent me the following result and I
have crossed out the name of the president mentioned
who was not even the president when they were
discovered. We don’t know when the meeting was held
as no one was advised about it or of the result. I
and a number of members are disgusted the way the
matters have been handled. My membership is due to
run expire and I will not renew my membership if
this association is not going to be open and
accountable to its members.
I read your web site as I know a number of other
members do and you are doing a great job. I have
forwarded this email to your organization as I am
totally disappointed in the lack of fortitude by the
committee to keep its members informed of what is
happening. Keep up the good work.
Yours Sincerely
XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Please be advised that following the meeting of the
disciplinary sub-committee the following
recommendations were made.
Disciplinary Sub-Committee Recommendations
Re - Dennis Liddelow & John Mealey
The disciplinary sub-committee recommend that:
• The apologies tendered by Dennis Liddelow and John
Mealey be accepted.
• The resignation tendered by Dennis Liddelow be
accepted.
• The members be advised individually of the
outcomes of the hearing.
• The complainants be advised of the outcomes of the
hearing.
• The matter be listed as an agenda item at the next
Annual General Meeting of
the Australian Special Air Service Association (WA
Branch).
These recommendations are based on the facts
presented to us and are made in the
belief that that there have been no further
instances by either member since they were
admonished by XXXXX XXXXX the ASASA (W A Branch)
president at the time.
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. |
MEALEY John Alexander
