A disgraced Wiltshire councillor who lied about being an army veteran has ‘suffered a stroke due to the stress of being exposed’.
Josh King, 62, claimed he was left on death’s door after being shot 21 times by the IRA has been forced to resign after being exposed as a ‘Walter Mitty’ using fake medals.
The former Wroughton Parish Council councillor admitted he got caught in a ‘web of lies’ in faking his military record after falsely claiming for decades he fought in the Falklands and Northern Ireland.
Speaking to Wiltshire 999s journalist Daniel Jae Webb on her doorstep, King’s wife, who did not wish to be named, said: “He’s had a stroke mate… not long ago.” She went on to confirm it happened in recent days and says it was caused by the stress of being exposed.
He was outed on social media by the ‘Walter Mitty Hunters Club’ – a group which unmasks impostors who pose as soldiers.
King had claimed he had served during the Falklands War with 11 Platoon, D Coy, 2 Parachute Regiment in 1982. He also said he served in Northern Ireland with 2 Parachute Regiment in 1985.
Ever since he has been honoured in military parades, and even appeared wearing a medal and Parachute Regiment beret.
King has since admitted falsifying his record, and that the medals were not his.
In a now deleted Facebook post, he apologised to veterans and explained: “My cousin who I never got on with got to serve and me, well I grew bitter and jealous.
“He left me his medals, I could have worn them on the left, but that was good enough. The lies got bigger along with the stories.”
In an interview in 2016, Mr King even claimed he was shot 21 times by the IRA, which left him on death’s door and ultimately wheelchair-bound.
In a further now-deleted admission online, he admitted that actually a car accident had left him wheelchair-bound.
He even previously claimed that his unit was ambushed by the IRA in Belfast and that he was one of just 11 out of a potentially 30-man platoon to survive the attack.
Wroughton Parish Council even gave the military imposter the honour of leading a wreath-laying ceremony parade to mark 40th anniversary of the Falklands war.
The Walter Mitty Hunters Club on Facebook claim that at this event King even cast doubt on the service of actual military veterans to hide his own imposter status.
He was spotted wearing a military medal on the left-hand side of his jacket in the ceremony on June 14.
Wroughton Parish Council chairman John Hewer said Mr King had let down his colleagues and the community.
He wrote: “Wroughton Parish Council is deeply disappointed by the actions of former councillor, Mr Josh King, who resigned on June 21.
“Mr King has misled the parish council and the community with regards to his military service.
“Mr King has since apologised and is no longer associated with Wroughton Parish Council. No further comment will be made.”
The Walter Mitty Hunters Club said King was brought to their attention by villagers who attended the local 40th Falklands anniversary parade.
A spokesperson said: “When asked his platoon and army number he claimed he could not remember due to his PTSD.
“He was also heard questioning the authenticity of veterans at the parade who asked which naturally angered genuine veterans.
“King had bragged several times on the local Facebook pages and local paper about his exploits in the Falklands and NI over the years, so was encouraged to lead the parade.
“He claimed he was awarded the MM during the Falklands and was with L/Cpl Gary Bingley who was KIA during King’s alleged heroism that day. Which means he was with 11 Platoon, D Coy, 2 Para at the time.
“Only problem for King and his claims, in 1983 the battalion served a six month tour in Belize.
“There was no Belfast Barracks in Northern Ireland and 2 Para did not deploy to NI until October 84.
“King’s mugshot and claims were seen amongst members of the Parachute Regiment during the 40th Anniversary parade held in Aldershot last weekend and not one individual knew him. Particularly those who served in 2 Para D Company.
“Some became quite angry and upset over his claims.
“Not one veteran could recall such an ambush in Northern Ireland where only four out of a 11 man patrol survived. It just never happened. He made the whole thing up.
“Another insult to the sacrifice and professionalism of the men and women who served in NI. Just to furnish his ego.
“Had King not used the death of a Parachute Regiment soldier KIA during the Falklands or the fictional contact in Northern Ireland and subsequent fictional deaths of seven Paratroopers to inflate his ego, we may have allowed his thinly self pitiful apology go to the vault.
“However, he choose to insult those who paid the ultimate sacrifice 40 years ago.
“He chose to award himself medals and a beret he had never earned and had simply bought off eBay along with regimental beret and tie.
“To keep his lie he was willing to publicly cast doubt on veterans who suspected his lie.
“In short he was willing to label genuine veterans as being fake and in his capacity of being a parish councillor his word would have carried some weight.
“Our decision to fully expose will not be popular with some, but we do this for the veterans King’s actions have insulted.”
