Robert Barnett; phony Brit busted
Common Sense sends us a link from the UK’s Daily Mail which tells the tale of Robert Barnett, a corporal in the 40 Commando of the UK’s Army who decided to dress up for a wedding wearing rank and medals he didn’t earn;
He explained that the medals were a gift from his father and he used them as his real ones had been sent away to have the Diamond Jubilee Medal added.
He said he borrowed the mess uniform from someone else and it had the King’s badge on it and he was aware of its significance.
‘I knew I was not a sergeant. It was a private wedding and I never thought the photos would see the light of day,’ he told the court.
But the court martial panel of three Royal Navy officers found him guilty of the charge.
In the age of the internet, nothing is not going to “see the light of day”. The court martial fined him £300. His little story about those being his father’s medals falls apart because he bought them on the internet and had them engraved.
In a written statement read to the court martial, Regimental Sergeant Major Joseph Gillespie said: ‘When I asked Corporal Barnett why he had worn the medals and uniform, he said he “wanted to look good in front of his family and big himself up”.
I guess that didn’t work out so well for him. It looks like he only succeeded in “smalling himself down”.
Category: Phony soldiers
Ah! I see that Sir Arse has entered the room!
Big himself up? His appetite has already accomplished that.
Airborne
You beat me to it……he’s plenty big already!
As the Brits say….Walter Mitty.
Big himself up!? Sounds like he smalled himself down — by £300! (And that ain’t lightweight).
Do UK ranks work differently? Guy looks like he’s pushing 40, and a corporal? Well, probably not a corporal anymore…
Jonn-I think 40 Commando is Royal Marines, not UK Army.
That’s the problem today… nobody wants to work to EARN their place… in anything!
Oops – you didn’t study hard – don’t worry we’ll give you an “A” anyway.
Oops – you didn’t pass bootcamp. That’s okay, you can wear the uniform.
Oops – you didn’t go through Chief’s Initiation. That’s okay, you can still wear the khakis.
Oops – you didn’t earn that medal. That’s okay, you can still wear it.
INSANITY!
Reaperman-there really isn’t any kind of “up or out” in the UK forces, as I understand it. You can remain a private for your career if you are capable.
Just let me say that being a Royal Marine is an accomplishment to be proud of in and of itself. They go to boot camp for 30 Weeks! During that period they all attend the Commando course, which is what our Ranger school is based on.
Why that wouldn’t be enough for any man to be proud of is beyond me.
Friggin’ Limey!
My God, why can’t he be proud of being a Royan Marine Comando? That is most honorable in itself…..
Bloody arse wipe poser!!
Well, it must not have hurt his career too bad because he has since been promoted to Sergeant.
I understand the British military has fewer enlisted ranks than we do but it seems odd to have a Corporal with 16 years of service.
However, if I understand, the next rank up is Colour Sergeant and the next up from that is either Warrant Officer or Sergeant Major (I do know that in the British military a Warrant Officer is considered a senior NCO.) So, my understanding is that Sergeant in the British Marines would be the equivalent of Staff Sergeant in the US Marines or Army.
Also, please forgive my ignorance but I assume that the Royal Marines are part of the Royal Navy, just like our Marines are a component of the US Navy?
@4: I’m not sure I’d call this guy a “walter.” According to the article has has a pretty decent service record including service in Afghanistan and Kosovo. Unless we hear that he was weaving stories from whole cloth about his fictional exploits, this seems to be more a case of someone who just thought his earned decorations and rank weren’t enough so he embellished both his rank and his awards.
Rank seems to come slow in the Royal Marines. I sometimes wonder if they roll their eyes when they see a fuzz-chinned 20 year old American soldier wearing E-5 stripes.
@15 I once read about a British officer that thought Americans were too free with awards, but can’t find that with an internet search. What I did find is kind of interesting, though. Some of it may piss you off, but you know what they say about opinions…….
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120109044154AAW9eYd
Why are they still wearing red coats? Didn’t they get the memo…
@16 I bet if you asked them, they’d tell your their posers are better and more professional than ours, too.
Fellows, I will make my statement short and not take any more space or time then needed. First I’d like to apologize to each and everyone of you that posted on Jonn’s March 1. posting regarding the James Edward Ferris; Korean War Phony.
I think I made the big mistake of not looking into what really was the truth or false statements that was sent out regarding our National President. And I guess in my remarks to many of you guys I might have made a big ass of myself in calling evertone “A BUNCH OF HEADHUNTERS” Here in Iowa we are taught one thing in this small town of 185 people, when you say or do something wrong, you either go hide or you eat crow. So with everything said I would like to say one more time, I apologize if I offended anyone of you guys in my posting. Think I’ll think twice next time I open my mouth.
@19 Sam, you may have posted this on the wrong thread… If not, we all get our panties in a wad and go off half-cocked at times. We don’t do this because we like to- we do it to make sure those who earned honors get their due respect and those that lie about them get the attention they wanted. That said- anything new with Ferris?
@ 19 Sam .. Good on you! It is all for the good of the order … in the end!
I have always found it tacky to wear a uniform to a wedding that’s not yours.I mean,i wore my uniform to my friends wedding but only because he wanted us to give him a saber arch as they walked out the church.During civilian weddings I like to keep it classy with a black tux and a martini.I’ll wear a certain pin for those in the know,but i would never wear a uniform.I feel like I would be stealing attention from the couple.Not that I’m not proud of my service,just a personal preference.
@20EDUSMCleg
You wanted to know if there were anything on Ferris, guess you mean if any action has been taken against him. Best guess I can give is, their playing the old clam game, everybody claming up by orders from their (CO) and nobody is saying anything, but sooner or later things have to come to a head, I think Jonn will clue us all in when the time is right, right now my money is on Jonn, and I’ll even give odds that Ferris gets his ass racked. Thats all she wrote.
SN—– From Iowa
Thanks, Sam. I just hope it doesn’t detract from the 60th Anniversary “celebrations” this year. If he would quietly resign(or prove us wrong), it would be nice. I have much respect for all who have gone before me- even Ferris. However, this whole thing just makes me sad that people feel the need to embellish their service rather than simply be proud of what they have done. As far as I am concerned, you are welcome here.