BOGUS DECORATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21102, 12 August 1930, Page 12

BOGUS DECORATIONS.

“BRAVEST MAN . IN BRITAIN/’ ALLEGED VICTORIA CROSS. BIRMINGHAM MAN’f3 DECEPTION. ' A remarkable story was told at the Birmingham Police Court on June 13, / when Geoffrey Herman Garratt appeared pp three summonses; firstly, that on Feb*' ruary 6 last he : falsely represented him* self to be a person, who. was entitled to wear military, decorations, -namely, the V.C., D. 5.0., and the M.C.; secondly,-that on February 14 last, being/anunauthorised person/he wore military decorations, namely, the V.C. and. the D.S.O.j-.thirdly, that on,the same day he wore certain military medal ribbons, namely, the V.C. , and the D.S-O. Defendant, who was represented by Mr ' D. Jti." Pinnemore, pleaded guilty to the charges. - - ' • / Mr M." P. Pugh, who prosecuted on behalf of the Director "of .-Public Prosecutions, said the matter came before the authorities when-a leaflet was circulated from, am address in Birmingham, .in- relation to a scheme for training disabled ' ex-service men in a system of metal photography. On this, defendant was described as Captain G. H. Garratt, Y.C., D. 5.0., 0.8. E., M.C.. AM. . To none of these honours was defendant' entitled, and he might say that Garratt deceived not only people to whom the circular was addressed, but'also those connected with the scheme. *' Defendant also deceived a number of newspapers, one of which published in . December last an announcement that purported to he a copy of an extract from the-supplement to the Gazette of India! to the . effect -that the. King “ has been, gracious pleased to confer, the Victoria Cross on Lieptenant, now Captain G. H. Garratt, D.5.0..M.C.,' of the Armies of India, Officers’ Reserve.” 1 1 - "ACT OF GALLANTRY." The paragraph; which was quoted as though from, the official source, went on to describe' an : act of gallantry in which Lieutenant Garratt, having received orders-to co-operate with-his company in a general retirement during operations against Mahsuds on the North-western Frontier, .bn April 10, 1920, seeing one of his‘native .officers badly wounded and 'unable to leave, immediately went back half a mile, placed the wounded man on his back and brought him to safety; So intense'was the fire, the paragraph continued, that -the native officer received two more wounds, but'Lieutenaht Garratt . escaped without injury. : • The act of; bravery*-it was mentioned, was brought to notice the same year, but no honour was conferred:. Since then the matter had been reviewed, with. the result stated. Following this announcement was the statement that “ Captain Garratt has been very popular in Cradley and the 'surrounding district by his interest in ex-servicemen and the work of the British Legion, and the news of the great honour- which has been- accorded im will give general gladness.” • “BRAVEST MAN IN BRITAIN" ; In a London newspaper defendant wa& described in large headlines as the “ Bravest Man. in Britain,” and also as/ a “ shy hero." Mr Pugh quoted . from .a third paper, in which was a paragraph beaded: “Always the Hero. Officer Who is as Brave in Peace as in War.” The last-mentioned paragraph described how Captain Garratt had won the'Albert Medal. “He saved the life of a woman in a-Birmingham street by ■ dragging her from the path of, a runaway horse. While motoring he saw a man fall into' the River Severn at Bewdley, and he immediately plunged in the. flooded river and rescued the man. Captain Garratt, who has the _D.S.O., M.C., 0.8JE., and numerous service orders, is 28 years of age, and is described as one-who does not really know, what danger is." Accused had netfer worn the Albert Medal,.said Mr. Pugh, nor any other medal ' except the Indian General Service Medal. Mr Pugh said defendant was in the Indian Army in 1919, and received a com: mission, but his conduct' was so unsatisfactory that he was 'dismissed. the. service by an order of general court martial, charges of embezzlement having been brought §gainst him. “It.cannot be proved,” said Mr Pugh “that he has obtained anything through holding himself out as possessing these decorations.” Apart from the literature bearing defendant’s names and false de- < scriptiona. tbe metal photography business was a genuine one. PLEAS IN EXTENUATION. Mr Finnemore, in extenuation, suggested that having left the army in circumstances that were not- creditable to him, defendant sought to make matters appear the better with his family by pretending that there was a better side to his character, and that he had done some creditable things. Defendant was a man of highly respectable family, added counsel. He was now only 30, and married last year, his wife was able to say that his conduct had been satisfactory and lhat they had lived very happily together. She wanted to say that whatever happened she would stand by her husband and do all she could to asisst him to make good. ' , _ The magistrate said he was satisfied that defendant had no fraudulent idea He could - not say whether defendant thought he might help ex-servicemen in using these decorations, or whether it was to satisfy his own vanity; Whatever defendant’s object, t was a serious offence, and bn the first summons he would be fined iS -and ordered to pay £6 costs, or, in default, 31 days’ -imprisonment. On the other summonses he must pay the court fees.