November 2019 – Stolen Valour Canada

Ian Newby of Aldergrove, BC enlisted in Young Soldier Training Plan in 1958, Taken on strength with 15th Field Regiment RCA on 7 Mar 1959, passed Junior NCO CA(M) Course on 5 Dec 1960, appointed Lance Bombardier on 1 Jan 1961, struck off strength on 1 Nov 1961, taken on strength on 22 Jun 1963, promoted Bombardier on 1 May 1963, qualified Driver on 1 Jun 1963, qualified Senior NCO on 18 Apr 1966, qualified Militia Artilleryman Group 1 on 16 Dec 1967, promoted Sergeant on 1 Jan 1968.

Promoted Second Lieutenant on 1 Jun 1968, qualified Lieutenant Basic on 16 Aug 1968, promoted Lieutenant on 1 Mar 1969, completed Captain Qualifying course on 16 Jul 1971, promoted Captain on 1 Sep 1976, qualified Major Block 12 Course on 15 Aug 1980, qualified Militia Command and Staff Course on 25 Jul 1981, promoted Major on 18 Aug 1982, released 7 Sep 1987. CD. The Canadian Forces Decoration (CD) is his sole listed award!

Although not conclusive, the link below lists the honours and awards presented to members of 15th Field Regiment RCA. It has the comprehensive listing of all members of the regiment who were were awarded medals to recognize their service in Canadian Forces (Europe) and Cyprus, Newby isn’t listed nor is he named as a recipient of the Centennial Medal nor the Silver Jubilee Medal.

http://www.vancouvergunners.ca/honours-and-awards.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/hope-bc-celebrates-35-years-since-rambo-first-blood-1.4346342

Well Major, since the Fall of 2017, we’ve been waiting for you to cowboy up, surrender the bogus medals for disposal and apologize for your actions!

Clear your conscience…

Remembrance Day 2019
Newby seems to have lost some weight, his group of medals is significantly lighter!

Matthew Karl Connolly
December xx, 19xx

Stolen-Valour Canada was advised by a number of parties that there was a potential issue with the medals that Mr Matthew Connolly had been photographed wearing.

SVC does not act upon unsubstantiated intelligence or malicious tips that are often initiated as a result of petty jealousy, marital misadventure or, sheer vindictiveness. We will not waste any staff effort on someone’s “gut feel” nor do we do participate in witch hunts. Tipsters must provide evidence (pictures, news articles, social media links) of their concerns before we can move forward.

Prior to investing any research effort into what often becomes an unfounded wild goose chase; we contact named individuals in order to provide them with an opportunity to sort out the reported situation.
Our hope, they would take advantage of our offer to protect his reputation and silence this issue once and for all.

To that end, we asked that Connolly on 14 Feb 2019 to provide us with the documentation that would prove his entitlement to wear the Special Service Medal (NATO) and the NATO Non-article 5 Medal.

The result – Connolly read our communication and told us that the medals he wore were replica medals ordered to replace the originals lost in a house fire. He had advised the medal mounting company of his dates of service / units and, a four medal group consisting of the SSM, CPSM, UNIFICYP and NATO Non Art 5 medals was created.

Connolly’s medal group including the SSM, CPSM, UNFICYP, NATO Non Article 5 Medal and the QDJM. Prior to 6 March 2019.

Unfortunately, the ships (FRASER / HURON) that he claimed to have served in between 1977-1980 did not meet the 180 day threshold for the SSM during the time he said he was a member of the ship’s company.

The NATO Non Art 5 Medal presented a challenge as there is no clasp detailing a particular mission however, that particular medal was created to recognize specific operations that did not occur until many many years after he left the CF…