imposter Veteran exposed

Roger Day DSO MC DSM MM

An imposter who turned up at a Remembrance Day parade wearing an unbelievable and impossible haul of medals has been arrested, the Daily Mail reports.

Carpenter Roger Day, 61, was also wearing an SAS beret and tie clip and pin badge, as well as a particularly lurid tie. It turns out that he did actually served 14 months in the Army in the 1970′s, but soon left after being ‘unable to hack the pace’. His Army service record shows that he performed no tours on active duty and was awarded no medals.

Day was pictured wearing a Distinguished Service Order (for senior officers only), a Military Cross with a Mentioned in Despatches leaf (MiD leafs are worn on campaign medals, not gallantry), an unidentified foreign medal, a Queens Commendation medal, a Military Medal (Army other ranks), Distinguished Service Medal (Naval other ranks), a Meritous Service Medal, a Northern Ireland Service Medal, a South Atlantic Medal, Gulf Medal, as well as a range of foreign and NATO medals, from Korea (1950-3, when he was still in Primary School) and the Gulf (1991). To have won all of those medals he would have had to have served 41 years from Private to Major or higher, and saw action on board a ship, and his full title would be Roger Day DSO MC DSM MM. He must have gone to an unbelievable amount of effort to get hold of all those medals, which must clearly be fake.

Clearly, if anyone had won that haul of medals he would be world famous. Yet, if the guy had more than 2 brain cells he would be aware that all Gallantry medals are announced in the London Gazette, whether they are SAS or not, and are searchable online.

Unbelievably, it also appears that Day has given talks on war and peace, and has even written and performed a song in honour of returning troops. Even more unbelievably, when confronted Day tried to front it out, claiming that the Official Secrets Act – that old chestnut – prevented him from saying anything. Apart from ”They’re all proper, pukka campaign medals. Medals I won in conflicts while I was serving with the British forces. All I can say is South Atlantic the Gulf, Kuwait and one or two other stations.” Hmmm, not so secret then.

Apart from the fact that he has clearly not done any research – and made the cardinal walt mistake of overdoing it – he’s also disrespected all of the brave people who have genuinely won those medals. He’s by no means the only Walter Mitty character out there – read here for a good laugh. Sadly, it means that anyone wearing an SAS beret, whether genuine or not, is bound to attract suspicion.

Don’t try and be something that you’re not. If you feel the need to put on an act then you need help.

Major Robert Easton DSO MBE

Royal Armoured Corps

The Distinguished Service Order is awarded for meritous or distinguished service by officers during wartime, usually in actual combat. It is usually awarded to officer ranked Major or higher. In the British Army during the Second World War it was the second highest award that officers could receive, after the Victoria Cross.

Major Robert Easton, from Portsmouth, was commissioned into the Lancashire Fusiliers as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1935. During the Second World War he transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, who in 1941 were converted from an infantry Battalion to a tank unit, being renamed the 142nd (2nd Suffolk) Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps. Cross-posting of officers from one regiment to another often took place if there was a shortage of officers in one and an overflow in others. At some point prior to 1944 he was also awarded an MBE, a medal that is awarded for a significant contribution to military service.

In 1944 the 142nd Regiment were fighting in Italy, in the 25th Army Tank Brigade, supporting Canadian Forces. The citation for his DSO takes up the story:

Major Easton’s Squadron was in support of the Royal Canadian Regiment during the advance along the Liri Valley, and in support of the 48th Highlanders of Canada during the attack on the Adolf Hitler Line near Pontecorvo. In action with both these Battalions, Major Easton has shown very great powers of command, inspired leadership and extreme coolness under fire.

In an attack in support of the Royal Canadian Regiment on 16th May 1944, shortage of ammunition and tank casualties resulted in only three tanks being available to remain in close support of the infantry on the objective, of which one was Major Easton’s. He took personal command of this composite troop, and gave the utmost support to the infantry under heavy mortar fire and some Anti Tank fire for several hours.

During the attack by the 48th Highlanders of Canada near Pontecorvo on 23rd May, when both infantry and tanks were pinned down by Machine Gun and Anti Tank Gun fire respectively, Major Easton’s Squadron was in action for some 12 hours. Throughout the action Major Easton maintained superb control of his Squadron and never once relaxed his efforts to assist the infantry on, despite a steadily diminishing number of tanks at his disposal. In order to exert maximum control he had to position his tank in full view of the enemy Anti Tank Guns.

Throughout the action he showed outstanding calmness, disregard of danger and overwhelming cheerfulness which were an inspiration to his Squadron, to the Regiment and indeed to the infantry he was supporting.

Major Easton also commanded a small composite tank force placed in support of 4 Canadian Recce Regiment on 22 May, in an attempt to turn the right flank of the enemy line. Again his complete disregard of danger greatly assisted in the clearing of a serious block to the advance, during which he carried out a mine recce on foot under heavy mortar and small arms fire.

The information passed back by Major Easton during these operations has invariably been useful, accurate and very full.

Major Easton’s DSO was announced in the London Gazette on 24 August 1944, just 10 days before he was killed in action on 3 September 1944. He is buried in Montecchio War Cemetery, Italy.