Raymond Button – AKA Andy Harris Low
Parachute Regiment (Falklands War) Walt

Raymond Button – AKA Andy Harris Low - Parachute Regiment (Falklands War) Walt

Created: Sunday, 22 April 2012
 This man came to notice some eight weeks ago and was reported by a non service person. The allegations made were checked, and the source was found to be genuine with no malicious intent. For ease of reporting and clarity the subject is known as "Low".

Thanks to WalterMittyHunt.Com

Low is around 50 years old and lives in the York and Grimsby areas. He is employed locally. He claims to have been born in Mussleboro, Scotland but speaks with a Devon/Norfolk farmers accent. It was when he married approximately a year ago that he changed his name from Button to Andy Harris – Low. The source had a period of interaction over a period of years with Low, and has a first hand account of his claims. It is also known that he has made his claims to others and the person reporting.

The claims include the following :

He stated that he had served with 2 Para and had enjoyed his 20th Birthday on the MV Norland whilst traveling south to the Falkland Islands pre combat stage. He further claims that he deployed with 2 Para onto the Islands and became engaged in combat with them. He states also that he at one point was part of the HQ group with Colonel Jones and was involved in the assault that resulted in the death of the 2 Para CO. Following this engagement he continued to be part of 2 Para, but makes no other claims apart from that he was directly involved in the battle of Somerset Mountain ?? The reference to “Somerset” mountain is his words not an error in reporting. He alleges further that it was during this battle that he received wounds that have resulted in a large scar on his head. He also states that at the time of his wounding, his best friend 
was KIA at the same time as him being wounded. He claims in no specific order that he has served with RMP and completed seven tours of Northern Ireland. To this end he has an array of medals, one with an incorrect ribbon, and includes a Gulf War 1 medal, and six others.

The Facts

1. The ORBAT for Op Corporate does not show ANY person serving with 2 Para by the names given.

2. RMP have never heard of this person either, and he is not known to have served with them.

3. There is not trace of him at Roussilon Barracks, the RMP's Chichester Depot.

4. 2 Para did not serve as a regiment in Gulf War 1.

5. There is no trace of him in Parachute Regiment records.

6. No one knows of this person from either 2 or 3 Para and some members of the 2 Para HQ Group at the time of Op Corporate, and in particular the Col. Jones incident do not ever recall this person being part of the said group.

7. The medals that he states are his are incorrectly mounted and do not have any bearing to the related service as claimed.

8. He still maintains his claims up to a few months ago, and when challenged refuses to substantiate the claims made. He does not wish to avail himself to the opportunity to put the records straight from his point of view.

9. He openly attends galas and functions in the dress shown in the photo and displaying the medals.

10. He does not offer or intimate any links to Para Reg friends or associates and has no contact as far as we are aware with former, serving or retired members of the Parachute Regiment.

11. The medals shown do not have original inscriptions on them.

12. Does not attend regimental or informal gatherings such as ABF weekends/reunions etc

13. Enquiries with former Parachute Regiment servicemen of many years do not throw up any Para Reg links at all.

14. There is no apparent PRA connection either.
    
    As always we set out to firstly “Prove” someone’s claims and only then after we cannot verify them; do we disapprove them. In the event that somehow his claims are found to be true then a full apology will be given to the person concerned - then only upon substantiated proof AND subject to military verification.
    
    This person again shows the utter disrespect and total disregard that these people have - for servicemen and their families in the Parachute Regiment. Making claims to emotive and honourable periods of service in combat operations are as about as bad as it gets. The families and service persons themselves dislike these fakes; so we act for them and for no other reason despite what a certain group of people say to stop us doing this.
    
    The group as a whole has proved many other peoples claims to be true resultant from apparently genuine people who ultimately have a grudge, and that is why the initial information is tested before anything is looked at.