Queensland RSL boss quits, plans appeal, after tribunal into faked military service claims

A Queensland RSL president plans to appeal after losing his position amid explosive allegations.

Tewantin-Noosa RSL boss Clinton Ware. Picture: File

The president of a former strife-torn Queensland RSL has resigned after a disciplinary hearing into allegations of fake military service.

Former Tewantin-Noosa RSL sub-branch president Clinton Ware surrendered his position and membership of RSL Queensland following a disciplinary tribunal hearing last month.

However, he has refuted the allegations and vowed to appeal.

It comes after service medals worn by Mr Ware medals at Anzac Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies were called into question by some in the service member community, sparking an RSL Queensland investigation.

He was photographed wearing what some claimed were incorrect medals on Remembrance Day last month, a day before the RSL tribunal hearing.

Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch president Clinton Ware without his medals at the Vietnam Veterans Day service at Tewantin.

Iraq war veteran Benjamin Millman was among those who raised allegations against Mr Ware, who listed having served in units including the Special Air Service and Commando regiments and being deployed to East Timor, Somalia and Rwanda.

“Yes the allegations are false and yes I will be appealing the decision,” he said in a text in response to The Courier-Mail’s questions.

In a statement, an RSL Queensland spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a member of Tewantin/Noosa RSL Sub Branch was subject to RSL Queensland’s state tribunal process which was undertaken in collaboration with the Sub Branch and District.”

“Following this process, they are no longer a member of RSL Queensland or Tewantin/Noosa RSL Sub Branch,” the spokesperson added.

Mr Ware rejected the allegations after they were first raised, telling sub-branch members that he had been “targeted by online trolls”.

Mr Ware was appointed Tewantin-Noosa RSL sub-branch president in mid-2023 after his wife became the secretary.

“These trolls have questioned my service record and the medals I wear and attempted to discredit and smear my name,” he said at the time, adding that he had met with senior RSL officials about the “false allegations”.

Mr Ware was appointed Tewantin-Noosa RSL sub-branch president in mid-2023 after his wife became the secretary.

The club was plunged into long-running turmoil after a bitter battle between the services club and the sub-branch.

The hostilities saw last year’s official Anzac Day activities moved from the RSL club to the local pub and a war of words between the warring factions erupt on social media.

A popular “Diggers Bar” operated by the RSL club closed after the sub-branch moved to hike the rent, while the club was accused of cancelling life memberships of more than 450 sub-branch members.

The sub-branch launched failed attempts to overthrow the club board and rallied its troops to donate to a planned $80,000 “fighting fund” to take the club to the Supreme Court.

But a truce was declared late last year after Mr Ware and RSL club chairman Tim Bassett resigned.

Mr Ware was later reappointed president.

Originally published as Queensland RSL boss quits, plans appeal, after tribunal into faked military service claims