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On ANZAC day
in 1997 he attended the parade and services
wearing the Infantry Combat Badge (ICB), three
USA citations, the Australian issued Viet Nam
medals and walks/marches with a limp and
a stiff arm; alluding to his numerous wounds
from gunshots and rockets that he suffers
from... or perhaps it from the helicopter in
which he crashed... or perhaps the ships he
was on that were bombed... all these tales of
heroism and courage under fire have been visited
upon the Veterans of Imbil over the past few
years.
He was confronted
by a Viet Nam Veteran about the
ICB, medals and citations that he was wearing
because the Veteran noticed that the ICB
was being worn upside down, thus drawing his
attention to it. In answer to the challenge,
the veteran was told that the ICB was
"given" to him by a friend.
Alarm bells started
to ring. Normally, the Sub-branch secretary
would be informed.
In addition to
this story Watson advised members of the
R&SL
that he had been in a chopper [helicopter] smash
in Viet Nam, but to others he told the stories
that he had been shot in the head, hands, and
knees, however, remarkably he bears no scars
from these horrendous wounds, no doubt there
may have been divine intervention on that score;
as one of his stories relates to how he helped
Mother Teresa while she was in Viet Nam!
Watson's flights
of fancy don't stop there; as he has told others
that he was caught in a bunker that was bombed
and was also got bombed while on a ship.
All up it appears
that Imbil's Mr Watson has seen more action
than Audie Murphy, the free world's most decorated
War Veteran, which brings us to the point where
this most-wounded person also states that he
served in the United States Merchant Navy; he
has given the service number 1793233R as his.
Watson's claims
in the US Merchant Marine are currently under
investigation through our US counterparts. The
result of which, no doubt, will prove as false
as all his other claims to service and being
wounded in action.
It should be
noted here that a serviceman's number is unique
and will only ever be issued to one individua
thereby making it quite easy to check on a service
record through the stated country's service
personnel files. These results will be placed
on the site as soon as known.
Since being confronted
about wearing the ICB upside down, Watson has
not marched with the R&SL. Is this because he
is afraid to put the medals on again, knowing
it is a federal offence to do so if he is NOT
the recipient of these awards? or has his courage
under fire failed him in far easier peacetime
pursuits?
A good Veteran
impersonator would have at least studied the
bogus medals he chose to wear and would ensure
he had them on in the right order and worn the
right way up. That way he would ensure
he did not incur the wrath of a angry old Warrant
Officer or some other sharp-eyed ex-service
person as also happened in the case of Marks,
the RAAF impostor on another page of this site.
One would also assume that a good impostor,
who chose to say he was a serviceman in the
US forces, would at least wear US medals and
not Australian-awarded ones.
Watson has also
"advised" those that have confronted
or questioned his service, that he will sue
or take the said person to the "anti discrimination
board", or the CJC (Queensland's Criminal
Justice Commission) neither have jurisdiction
in this area, and that makes him quite laughable
and lowers his credibility even further.
Watson is not
easily dissuaded from his chosen role as a warrior,
as it now seems that even though he is no longer
the secretary of the R&SL, he still attends and
spreads his tales of valour and heroism to any
one that will listen, particularly at the Imbil
Bowls Club on Friday evenings where he attends
with his wife and entertains the bowls community
with his warries and stories of bravado in battle
to anyone foolish enough to listen.
The Veteran community
of Imbil have had enough of this "war hero's"
lies and tall stories and contacted the team
at CPMH who have since conducted a thorough investigation
in Australia (and have launched an investigation
in the US) confirming that Geoffrey James Watson
is just like all the other imposters on this
site. An Australian military check of his so
called service details through Defence have
come up blank. A check of the Viet Nam
Veterans Nominal Roll produced the same. A
CPMH team member from Orange, NSW (The team
has members everywhere there are genuine Veterans)
approached and spoke to the following people
and organisations from that town;
-
The Secretary/Manager
of the Ex Services Club,
-
The Naval Association,
-
The R&SL, and
the
-
Armoured Corps Association
of Orange.
All of the aforesaid
organisations have never heard of the bogus
war hero G. J. Watson. Sufficient checks of
Defence and Ex Service organisations have been
conducted to declare that this person is just
another impostor breaking a federal law by impersonating
the brave men and women who have fought under
the flag of this great nation.
The results of
the US service check so far have also drawn
a blank. It is not expected that this situation
will change.
Post Script:
Further advice has been received at CPMH that
Watson was photographed wearing medals at a
memorial service in Orange. The details
of this are currently being sought from the
source in Orange and will be posted when received.
At the time of
writing the US search of personal files cannot
locate a 1793233R Geoffrey James Watson on any
data base connected with Merchant Marines
or Military personnel.
Naturally (as
is the case with every impostor uncovered by
CPMH), Watson is invited to produce his unaltered
service documents and award certificates for
his United States Citations and service in the
United States Merchant Marines.
Until such time
as he does this all information from the records
of both Australia and the United States held
by CPMH confirms he is a fraud and has never
served in their armed forces in any theatre
of war.
Following this
investigation, Watson has resigned his membership of the
R&SL, and his name has been struck off the Sub-branch roll.
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. |
WATSON Geoffrey James
