A BOGUS war veteran has turned over a new leaf – and been welcomed into the ranks of his local Royal British Legion branch.
Former builder John McInerney was previously exposed as a fraud for inventing a role in the Falklands war.
Mr McInerney, 68, was caught by the Mail selling poppies at St Stephen's shopping centre while wearing fake medals and the famous maroon beret of The Parachute Regiment.
But veterans have now rallied round Mr McInerney, even allowing him to continue supporting the Poppy Appeal – in return for binning his paraphernalia.
Now, Mr McInerney – credited with raising thousands for the nation's wounded heroes and their families – is favourite to be named the new standard-bearer for the Hull branch of the Royal British Legion.
He said: "I would be really honoured to be made the new standard-bearer.
"It's very important we remember all those veterans who have died."
Mr McInerney, who lives off Spring Bank West, west Hull, earned the scorn of real Falkland veterans for claiming he was awarded the Military Cross for his heroics at Goose Green.
He also claimed he fought alongside Corporal Gary Bingley, who was killed while storming an Argentine machine-gun position in the bloodiest battle of the 1982 war.
Corporal Bingley's family still live in Beverley.
But the Royal British Legion insists it believes Mr McInerney – who claimed he was a sergeant – has turned over a new leaf and appealed to the public to forgive his past misdemeanours.
Brian Edge, who fought at Aden in the 1960s, was the person who encouraged Mr McInerney to join the branch.
He said: "After the incident with the poppies, I said to him, 'John – why don't you go the full hog and come join us.
"Since then, he has been the perfect right-hand man, supporting three Poppy Appeals.
"Each year since, he has virtually single-handedly run the poppy stall at Prospect Centre."
Mr Edge, who served in the Royal Tank Regiment, is the current branch standard-bearer, parading it on Remembrance Sunday, as well as veterans' funerals.
However, he is having to pass on the honour so he can carry the standard of the newly-formed Aden Veterans' Association.
Mr Edge said he can think of no one better to hand the baton over to than Mr McInerney.
"John thoroughly deserves to be made our standard-bearer," he said.
"I would be ecstatic if our fellow branch members voted for him.
"John is a really nice chap."
Mr McInerney was rumbled when real veterans noticed him wearing Second World War medals, despite being born in 1944 – just one year before the war ended.
These days, Mr McInerney prefers appearing in public sporting a smart blazer, complete with Royal British Legion badges, trousers and highly polished shoes.
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