Accused fake war veteran says he is at death’s door

A MEDAL-festooned accused fake Vietnam War veteran told a magistrate he is dying of cancer and so cannot appear in court to face federal charges for being a wannabe war hero.

A MEDAL-festooned accused fake Vietnam War veteran told a magistrate he is dying of cancer and so cannot appear in court to face federal charges for being a wannabe war hero.

However, checks by the Herald Sun have sparked a police investigation into “Major-General” Neville Donohue’s claim to be in The Alfred hospital dying of cancer.

The “major” was charged with falsely claiming to be a veteran, and wearing medals to which he was not entitled, after photos of him decked out like a North Korean general with four rows of military medals on his chest went viral on veterans’ forums and networks.

He was first photographed “reflecting on the Anzac and Australian spirit” in front of almost 200 people at the Mount Dandenong Anglican Parish Anzac Day service last year.

A second photo of the Collingwood fan was taken later that day at the Anzac Day clash at the MCG. The outcry at the photo in the church’s online newsletter, A Light In the Hills, led to the church’s reporting Mr Donohue to police.

He was due to appear in the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court last week but failed to show.

Magistrate Marc Sargent said he had received a letter from The Alfred stating Mr Donohue had been admitted to hospital the previous Wednesday with terminal cancer and would be in hospital for an initial three-week period, after which he would be admitted to palliative care, and his death was expected in months.

Mr Sargent adjourned the hearing for six months until August 18 — Vietnam Veterans Day.

The hospital declined to comment. There is no record of a physician matching the name on the letter presented to the court and police are investigating its authenticity.

The ANZMI website, which names and shames people it claims to be fraudulent veterans, says Mr Donohue has been identified by former Royal Australian Corps of Signals members as ex-Corporal Neville McBryde Donohue from the Kilsyth area, who served in the Army in 1970-76 but was never deployed to any operational areas.

[e-mail]