Backwaters of history - L Ron Hubbard wins the war

 The Coronado Islands are a group of four islands off the northwest coast of the Mexican state of Baja California. Battered by the wind and waves, they are largely infertile and uninhabited except for a small military detachment and a few lighthouse keepers. The islands lie between 25.6 and 32 kilometers south of the entrance to San Diego bay, but only 13.6 kilometers from the Mexican mainland.

L Ron Hubbard is best known for setting up $cientology a so-called religion (but mainly a money grabbing organisation that peddles bullshit). If his "official" biography is to be believed then he seems to have defeated the Nazis and the Japanese in WWII single handed and received more decorations than the typical South American caudillo.

The reality is of course rather different. Hubbard (left in picture) never gained a rank higher than Lieutenant Senior Grade ) equals rank if Lieutenant in the RN or Captain in the army). He had briefly been posted to the Miltary Attaches office in Melbourne where he made a total arse of himself and subsequently commanded a small patrol vessel on the Atlantic coast for a brief time. In 1943 he was given command of the sub chaser USS PC-815 in 1943. In May of that year Hubbard "distinguished" himself by expending his stock of depth charges at what he believed to be a Japanese submarine (or two subs, one sunk, the other critically damaged if the $cientologists are to be believed hahahaha) but the Navy considered was a phantom accounted for by a magnetic anomaly and Hubbard's crew not using the sonar properly.

A month later Hubbard was the vessel San Diego, which was to become her home port. At the end of June was ordered to sea to join an anti-submarine training exercise. The exercise, held on June 28, ended early and Hubbard took the opportunity to order an impromptu gunnery exercise. He then anchored and unterdook small arms fire. He must have been observed by menbers of teh Mexican Navy detachment on the islands as the Mexican government sent an official protest to the US Government about his actions.

On June 30 a Board of Investigation was convened which concluded that Hubbard had disregarded orders, both by conducting gunnery practice and by anchoring in Mexican territorial waters without proper authority. Hubbard argued that his crew was inexperienced, it was foggy, and he was tired so he did not return to port as ordered. A month earlier in his after action report concerning the recent fiasco off Cape Lookout (the phantom sub hunt), he had described the same men as "experienced" and "highly skilled". Vice Admiral Fletcher, who both chaired the board and read the prior after action report, rated Hubbard "below average" and noted: "Consider this officer lacking in the essential qualities of judgment, leadership and cooperation. He acts without forethought as to probable results. He is believed to have been sincere in his efforts to make his ship efficient and ready. Not considered qualified for command or promotion at this time. Recommend duty on a large vessel where he can be properly supervised". Hubbard was relieved of command effective July 7, 1943.

Hubard later saw brief service on yhr amphibious cargo ship USS Algol. PC815 saw little further ctive service before meeting its end after a collision with a US submarine in September 1945. One crew member was killed.

I will not say a word against the men who crewed small vessels during WWII. They provided an essential service in often perilous conditions. Hubbard claimed to have been a much decorated war hero but the truth is that he was an incompetent with a penchant for self-aggrandisement. Hubbard's lies and bullshit have been debunked widely but I couldn't help adding another tiny bit to the pile!

This site provides an excellent overview of L Ron Hubbard's less than stellar military career.

L Ron Hubbard gets the bum’s rush and not a blue plaque

According to the Telegraph English Heritage, the government agency, which runs the blue plaque scheme to commemorate the residences of eminent people, has rejected an application by supporters of the founder of Scientology after its blue plaques panel decided that it was unconvinced about Mr Hubbard's "reputation".

From 1957 until 1959, Hubbard based himself at Fitzroy House, in London's West End, and wrote many of his works there. It was a Scientology "church" until 1968, when it was sold. The organisation then bought it back around six years ago and the four-storey building, at 37 Fitzroy Street, is now open as a museum in Mr Hubbard's memory.

According to minutes of a meeting in June last year, obtained using Freedom of Information legislation, the blue plaques panel decided that "more time was needed to make an objective assessment of Hubbard's reputation". Panel members present at the meeting included Professor Andrew Motion, the former Poet Laureate.

The panel "also noted that [Hubbard] had no settled residence in London". However, other foreign personalities who only spent short periods of their life in the capital have been awarded plaques in their honour.

Blue plaques are considered a high accolade and have been erected outside the London homes of some of the world's greatest minds. Eligibility guidelines state that nominated figures must have been dead for 20 years or have passed the centenary of their birth, and must have made an "important positive contribution to human welfare or happiness". Hubbard died in 1986.

Sarah Eicker, director of Fitzroy House, who nominated Mr Hubbard, said: "I definitely think Mr Hubbard warrants a plaque. Maybe the information we provided wasn't sufficient."

Not much of a story I suppose but as for giving L Ron Hubbard a blue plaque I would strongly support the move when Hell freezes over. Until then the evil old bullshitter can rot, but then that’s what he’s been doing since 1986 anyway...

L Ron Hubbard was a fraud (no surprise there!)

Discovering that Lafayette Ron Hubbard (left) - writer of abysmal pulp science fiction, proponent of diuretics, (sorrythat should be dianetics) founder of the church of scientology and all round bullshitter and charlatan - was a fraud should be akin to finding out that the sky is blue or that water is wet. However, 30 years ago the British Government devoted time to determining the extent of his fraudulence.

According to the Times scientologists had threatened to sue the British Government for libel after it banned in 1968 followers from entering the country to visit the sect’s world headquarters in East Grinstead, West Sussex. To defend itself, Britain needed to establish whether Lafayette Ron Hubbard was a charlatan. L Ron Hubbard was also subject of an exclusion order.

Diplomats found that Hubbard had awarded himself a PhD from a sham “diploma mill” college that he had acquired. Department of Health files released early to The Times following a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

The papers include a signed statement by a former senior Scientologist who said that he had been informed of the doctorate scam by one of Hubbard’s collaborators.

“I understand it is asserted that L. Ron Hubbard was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Sequoia University on February 10, 1953, in recognition of his outstanding work in the fields of Dianetics and Scientology and that the said degree was recorded with the Department of Education of the State of California. The position is L. Ron Hubbard [and others] acquired premises somewhere in Los Angeles which they had registered as a university called Sequoia and immediately awarded each other doctorates.”

Junkie and all round arsehole Pete Doherty.. a the poster boy for the Church of Scientology?

Whitehall officials asked the British Consulate in Los Angeles to investigate him. The answer came from Los Angeles on April 26, 1977: “After exhaustive enquiries we have now tracked down organisation named which was closed down by state authorities in 1971 and all documents impounded. The facts are that it neither has nor ever had approval and its status is not recognised in California . . . It is a ‘will of the wisp’ organisation which has no premises and does not really exist. It has not and never had any authority whatsoever to issue diplomas or degrees and the dean is sought by the authorities ‘for questioning’.”

Although it was not as if L Ron Hubbard was photographed munching on the bones of an infant it was an indication of the man. After all he was a pathological liar who found an ideal way to con thousands of dupes out of their money. Surprisingly his ridiculous cult has continued to thrive, raking in even more money from even more idiots