A secretive network of ex-forces veterans, known as the Walter Mitty Hunters Club, has exposed more than 300 individuals who falsely claimed military backgrounds. The group, which includes former special forces soldiers, uses honey traps and covert filming to catch impostors, who are then publicly humiliated unless they confess and apologise.
In a recent sting, the group unmasked Eric Baker from Doncaster, who had posed as a decorated paratrooper claiming to have fought in the Battle of Goose Green during the Falklands War. Baker had fabricated stories of seeing friends killed and being shot, but the club revealed his lies.
A founder member, identified only as Dave, said the group targets bogus SAS, SBS, Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment soldiers. 'We've got people going back to the Second World War to check out Walter Mittys,' he said. 'My message to anyone thinking of pretending to be an ex-serviceman or woman is we're watching you.'
The group, named after the fictional daydreamer Walter Mitty, has grown since its formation five years ago. Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, supports their efforts, stating: 'Anybody pretending to have joined the forces, with the extreme sacrifice that involves is a disgrace and needs to be exposed.'
Dave noted a rise in impostors since the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, as public support for the military increased. He warned that some exploit discounts offered to servicemen and women. The group continues to expand its network of ex-forces investigators to track down those who lie about their service.
