Mr Albert Brum, a serial embellisher of long standing was exposed by our friends at “This Ain’t Hell” in 2017 and he has recently resurfaced. Although, SVC was not involved in the original expose, we have been advised that Mr Brum has articulated a desire to leave the trinkets that support his military themed fairy tale as a lasting legacy of his service to a Canadian military museum located near his hometown.
This has prompted us to ask a couple of questions.
Will his donation include the three World War 2 Campaign Stars that he wore without lawful authority and the Legion of Honour that he was awarded by the French government for his supposed service in the liberation of France?
Can we expect that the US medals and insignia including the Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge (second award) will be included in the package?
Brum would have believe he was a member of First Special Service Force (The Devil’s Brigade) with service in Italy and participated in the liberation of Rome. He then claims to have transferred to 1 Can Para and made a jump into France on D +1 (7 June 1944) as a reinforcement. However, Brum is not listed on the nominal roll of the FSSF nor has any documented overseas service in Continental Europe! His story changes to suit the circumstances, the event and the audience and of course, he claims to have been a sniper!
http://www.firstspecialserviceforce.net/fssf-roster-of-men.html
In fact, he has actual WW2 service in the RCAF (April-Nov 1944) and transferred to the CA (Jan 45-Apr 1946) where he eventually became a jump qualified RCE Sapper who volunteered to serve in the Pacific theatre. But, he has absolutely no service in an operational theatre.
Brum is not a graduate of Royal Military College of Canada. RMC didn’t reopen until Sept 1948 making it somewhat difficult for him to complete his studies, graduate, train as a gunner officer and deploy to Korea in 1949 and again in 1951. In 1949, he joined the Militia where he eventually became a Major in the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry serving until 1969.
Once again simple arithmetic and recorded history proves that his claims of post war operational service in Korea and South East Asia are a complete fabrication!
He never achieved the rank of Colonel in the CA, he was never a “CANLOAN” officer with the US Army in Vietnam or Cambodia in 1963 and 1965 nor, does he have any service with the US military as a Green Beret.
Major AE Brum CD should have been proud of his military service, there was no need for him to embellish his accomplishments over the course of several decades yet, he did.
That will be his legacy…
