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The rural Victorian tabloid "Cobram Courier" on
Wednesday 15 February 2006 on its social page
"Roundabout" printed details of Cobram Men's Probus Club
engaging a guest speaker Russell WALTER who "spoke of
International Intelligence. Mr WALTER had led an
eventful life flying 65 missions "spotting Cessnas" in
Vietnam, pursuing a nursing career in 2005, before
retiring to live in Barooga".
WALTER is a member of the
Cobram Barooga RSL and spent almost two years on the
Sub-Branch Executive Committee as Secretary. During
this period it is alleged WALTER advised those who
queried his rank that he left the Army as a Major,
others state he advised he was a Colonel.
With the article of his supposed Vietnam service
published in the local paper, veterans began questioning
the bona fides of their past RSL Sub-Branch Secretary -
a glaring anomaly was his lack of command of written
English, something a commissioned officer in the
Australian Army prides himself on.
ANZMI was contacted and a subsequent thorough
investigation into WALTER's military history revealed
that yes, he did indeed serve, he was a National
Serviceman who enlisted on 24 April 1956 and was
Discharged 20 March 1957 medically unfit with clinical
notes attached to his file as follows: "This disability
is likely to remain for such a period as to prevent the
resumption of training within a period of five years - DDMS S Comd".
WALTER was allocated to the
corps of Ordnance as a Private soldier, posted from 20
National Service Battalion to 3 Stores Company and spent
his 11 month Army life plagued by medical problems.
With all the evidence at hand WALTER was contacted and
asked to explain his claims of being an Army Officer
and Pilot. His replies are below including his apology
directed at us. We don't accept or reject apologies, in
this instance it's up to the Veteran Community at large.
We will monitor all replies for or against and advise
the outcome around the end of September.
________________________________________________________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: Russell & Kaye Walter
To:
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 4:26 PM
Subject: reyour letter dated 27-06-06
Dear Sir,
With
refence to your letter dated as above i wish to
inform you that at no time did i state when giving
an address to a Probus club did i ever state that i
was a VIietnam Veteran, nor that i flown thirty
mission over Veitnan, at the time i was in Loas
fling for a private air line,nor did i state that i
was a major or Lieutenant Colonel.
Therefore i offer all the Vietnam veterans/R&SL,my apologies
for any misconstrue over this matter.
Regards RUSS WALTER
___________________________________________________________
WALTER has denied
fraudulently representing himself as a veteran -
an offence under the Defence Act.
This man served
his country albeit in a restricted manner - was
awarded a National Service Commemorative Medal
and in due course will be awarded the Australian
Defence Medal, obviously he felt the need to
embellish his service - and the ensuing
embarrassment will be down to him.
_______________________________________________________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: Russell & Kaye Walter
To:
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006 1:23 PM
Subject: apologies
Attention XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Dear Sir.
Further to
your mail on 24.06.06 and my email of 28.06.06,as
some 48hours has has passed i have had time to
reflect on my actions of the past and in doing so i
can say what a bloody fool i have been,and what
injury i have caused our veteran veterns.
As such i
wish to again apologies to you,your
members,dependants,and i can only say how bad i feel
about my past mistake's.I have always held the
Veitnam Veteran vets i the highest regards, and have
not and would not like you think i would have a bad
word to say of them.
I will not
belong to our local RS.L. sub-branch nor any other
branch and will not renew my member ship when it
expires, once again please accept my honest
apologies and if it was at all possable in the near
future i would like to meet you face to face as men
and discuss this matter.
Yours
truly Russ Walter
________________________________________________________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: Russell & Kaye Walter
To:
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 2:44 PM
Subject: re your email
Thank you for your email
of to day,as i informed youi did work for a private
company, but i am not in a situation whereby i am
unable to disclose this inforemation to you,but i
will give you some back ground of my self.
In 1961 i join the Chief
Secreatary,s Office attached to the office of the
State Insurance Commision as an investorgator
reporting back to the Crown Law Dept,later i was
transferred to Comberra and then went to the firm
that employed whilst i was oversea,s,i spent some
six month,s in Laos when i waseffected with astomach
infection and was sent back to australia where some
8/10 of my stomach was removed, i would have no
objection to yougeting my medical.
M y wife has in the time
i have known me all way,s called me Colonel.
When i was over in Laos
i was called the Major.
My Medals are 1
Commonwealth National Service Medal, amd the
National Service Association Medal {SA] Branch INC.
And id dose amaze me that the person who informed
you of myMedal,s was not aware that the Medal,s were
not Service Nedal,s as would be found on any of your
menbers as quite a nimber of national service
menbers wear same when attending servce,s.
regards Russ.I
________________________________________________________________________
He apologised and then
feeds us malarkey about being some sort of spook in
Laos. We can't believe a word he says now.
"My Medals are 1
Commonwealth National Service Medal, amd the National
Service Association Medal {SA] Branch INC."
The medal on the right was not awarded for service, it
is a purchased National Serviceman's Association
trinket, much favoured by those who never served
overseas but feel they have to wear something on
commemorative occasions as if they'd actually been
somewhere and done something . If worn at all, it should
be on his right breast and well
below any Next of Kin medals that may be worn, where such things belong.
This is published in the
public interest, particularly that of the
Veteran Community. All information presented here is
fact and the truth. Reports from private citizens are
supported by statements of fact and statutory
declarations. |
WALTER
Russell
