Jack Livesey

John Livesey (born 15 May 1954) is a British military imposter who posed as a decorated war hero; in actuality he served in the army as a cook for three years. His fabricated military record included twenty years in the Parachute Regiment, fighting with the 2nd Battalion in the Falklands War, serving five tours of duty in Northern Ireland, receiving the Military Medal and reaching the rank of Colour Sergeant. He has worked as a historian, author, consultant, lecturer and battlefield tour guide on the basis of his alleged military experience.

Career Jack Livesey served as a chef in the Army Catering Corps from December 1971 until April 1974, He began to lie about his military service while in the psychiatric hospital at Netley Hospital, where he was found to have a hysterical personality disorder.

Livesey was featured as a military historian in the documentary Death and Destruction in the Falaise Gap and on the History Channel series Battlefield Detectives. He worked as a historical adviser on the 2005 BBC documentary series D-Day to Berlin and the 2006 movie Flyboys. He claimed to have also advised production crews on the miniseries Band of Brothers and the movie Saving Private Ryan.

Livesey worked at the Imperial War Museum Duxford for seven years, first as a volunteer and later as a collections assistant, until he resigned in 2006. He defended the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano during an exhibition at the museum marking the 20th anniversary of the Falklands War, and he was a guest of honour at the museum's 25th anniversary commemorations of the Falklands War, where he was interviewed by BBC Look East.

Livesey was exposed as an impostor when investigations following his conviction found that the references submitted by the veterans were based on false claims that Livesey had made to them. He was subsequently charged with perverting the course of justice by police, and admitted to lying about his army career, but denied he was aware the references were submitted. His partner, Bridget Pollard, testified that she had compiled the references.

In mitigation, Livesey's attorney stated that his client had been diagnosed with dependent and histrionic personality disorder, and argued these disorders impaired his client's ability to tell fact from fiction. Livesey was found guilty, sentenced to three years in jail and was ordered to pay £3,500 in prosecution costs. He filed an appeal on the grounds that his sentence was excessive. The appeal was denied.