According to the 'Church' of Scientology, which he founded, L.Ron Hubbard was the complete Twentieth Century renaissance man, an explorer, nuclear physicist, war hero, author and organisational genius.

In reality as Justice Latey stated in the High Court in 1984

"To promote himself and the cult he has made these among other false claims:

That he was a much decorated war hero. He was not.

That he commanded a corvette squadron. He did not.

That he was awarded the Purple Heart, a gallantry decoration for those wounded in action. He was not wounded and was not decorated.

That he was crippled and blinded in the war and cured himself with Dianetics techniques. He was not crippled and was not blinded.

That he was sent by U.S. Naval Intelligence to break up a black magic ring in California. He was not. He was himself a member of that occult group and practised ritual sexual magic in it.

That he was a graduate of George Washington University and an atomic physicist. The facts are that he completed only one year of college and failed the one course in nuclear physics in which he enrolled.

There is no dispute about any of this. The evidence is unchallenged.

Hubbard in a course called Purification Rundown (a course which the father and step-mother recently attended, paying a high price for it) claims that it will increase the body's resistance to radio-activity. Shown this the psychologist who gave evidence on behalf of the father, described it as balderdash. Shown Hubbard's writings about psychiatry and psychologists he agreed that it was bunkum.

Hubbard has described himself as "Dr. Hubbard". The only doctorate he has held is a self-bestowed "doctorate" in Scientology.

The use of false, spurious descriptions extends downwards. The Deputy Principal of the school where the children are at present being educated is a Scientologist. At various times he has worn clerical garb and described himself as "Reverend". And at other times as "Professor". He did this, he accepts, for promotional reasons.

Mr Hubbard went into hiding in 1980. Attempts have been made to secure his attendance at various hearings in the Courts of the United States. They have all failed because be cannot be found and served.

The evidence is clear and conclusive: Mr Hubbard is a charlatan and worse as are his wife Mary Sue Hubbard (she has been convicted of criminal offences in the United States in connection with Scientology and imprisoned) and the clique at the top privy to the Cult's activities."

To learn about Hubbard's wartime activities see Ron the "War Hero"

Hubbard was last seen in 1980, when he went into hiding and let his wife Mary Sue Hubbard go to jail for the 'Snow White' burglaries of U.S Government offices. Hubbard was named as an 'unindicted co-conspirator' in the sentencing memorandum.

Hiding out in the California desert, his only link with his followers was via the 'Messengers', youngsters brought up in the cult who knew no other life. Orders would come via the Messengers, purporting to be from Hubbard, and had to be obeyed without question, including those in 1982 when most of the old-guard Scientology leadership was purged and control placed in the hands of the 'Watchdog Committee" headed by diminutive Messenger David Miscavige. One document promoted Pat and Annie Broeker, the only people in direct contact with Hubbard to the rank of 'Loyal Officers' and put them in control,while promoting Hubbard himself from 'Commodore' to 'Admiral'. Subsequently Miscavige purged the Broekers, denounced the document as a fake, but let the promotion to Admiral stand. In late January 1986 Miscavige announced that Hubbard had 'dropped the body'.

Perhaps the best account of Hubbard's life is journalist Russell Miller's "Bare Faced Messiah". Miller was regularly visited before publishing by police who had been receiving anonymous phone calls informing them that he was a murder suspect.