Biography

Family background

Victor Osan was born in Vienna on the 11th April 1908, the son of Johann Osan. We don't know much about Victor's early life but by the time of the 1921 census of England and Wales he appears at Abbotts Brook, Bourne End, living in a household headed by Henry Herman Slesser. Henry was a barrister and lecturer at the University of London. Henry's wife was Margaret Slesser. In addition to Henry and Margaret in the house were Stanley Spencer, described as a visitor, Grace Louise Russill, a 30-year old servant, and Viktor Osan, aged 12 years and 2 months, also described as a visitor and full time scholar. Viktor's record is also annotated with the words 'Save the Children Fund'.

As the First World War was coming to an end and the German and Austro-Hungarian economies came near to collapse, it became clear that the children of these countries were suffering appallingly from the effects of the war. After the war ended the Allies kept up a blockade of these countries to try to force them to accept surrender terms and this blockade continued even when an armistice was signed. Children in Berlin and Vienna were often starving, malnutrition was common and rickets were rife. In 1919 a pressure group, the "Fight the Famine Council" was set up to persuade the British government to end the blockade. From this start 'Save The Children' was set up by sisters Eglantyne Jebb and Dorothy Buxton as part of the Fight the Famine movement, spreading information about what was happening in Europe. In 1919, Jebb was arrested for distributing leaflets in Trafalgar Square. They bore shocking images of children affected by famine in Europe, and the headline: 'Our Blockade has caused this – millions of children are starving to death'. Jebb was tried for her protest and found guilty. But the prosecuting counsel was so impressed with her that he offered to pay the £5 fine himself. Soon, the sisters decided that campaigning alone would not be enough - direct action was needed. In May 1919, the Save the Children Fund was set up at a packed public meeting in London's Royal Albert Hall. This was just the start.

In 1921 Save the Children raised considerable funds for refugee children in desperate need. Single donations ranged from two shillings to £10,000. It gave the money to organisations working to feed and educate children in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Hungary, the Balkans and for Armenian refugees in Turkey.

It seems likely that Victor Osan was rescued from Vienna as part of some Save The Children campaign and came to the UK. In 1927, Victor became a British Citizen, taking his oath on the 18th January 1927. Interestingly his naturalisation certificate lists him as having 'No Nationality' at that time.

Also in 1927 Victor, now known as Victor Osan Slesser, started studying law taking preliminary examinations in that year. Victor was an early member of the Royal Flying Club, taking his flying certificate on the 29th July 1931 at Reading Aero Club flying a De Havilland Moth. His occupation at the time was listed as a law student.

In 1932, on the 8th August, Victor Slesser, aged 24 and now listed as a solicitor, married Kathleen Tynan, aged 22, at the Church of St. Anselm and St. Cecilia in Holborn, London. Kathleen was from Bourne End, Bucks. Victor and Kethleen's wedding was widely reported in the newspapers of the day (for example in Bristol (see below)) , and give a further insight into the family that Victor had joined:

In 1939, at the time of the National Registration, Victor and Kathleen were living at Sands Tiles, Cookham Road, Berkshire but not long after National Registration, Victor joined the RAF.

Service record

On the 9th September 1940, Victor was granted a commission in the RAF Volunteer Reserve as a Pilot Officer on probation for the duration of hostilities in the Administration and Special Duties Branch and he was posted to RAF Hooton Park for Intelligence Duties.

Victor was then posted from 29th September 1940 to 6th November 1940 to work in the Directorate of Intelligence, Chief of Air Staff, in section A.I.1(K) a section dealing with German prisoners of war and the intelligence gleaned from their interrogation. On the 6th November 1940, Victor was posted to RAF Martlesham Heath, 1.5 miles southwest of Woodbridge, Suffolk, where he remained for almost two years until the 7th July 1942. In 1940 during the Battle of Britain, RAF Martlesham Heath was the most northerly station of No. 11 Group RAF, Fighter Command. Squadrons of Bristol Blenheim bombers, Hawker Hurricanes, Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Typhoons operated from this airfield, and among the many pilots based there were such famous men as Robert Stanford Tuck, and Squadron Leader Douglas Bader, there as Commanding Officer of 242 Squadron.

On the 7th July 1942 Victor was posted on to RAF Vaagar again working in Intelligence. RAF Vaagar was built in the Faroe Islands by British Army Royal Engineers during World War II on the island of Vágar. The site was chosen mainly because it was hard to see from the surrounding waters and any potential German warship. The first aeroplane landed here in Autumn 1942. RAF Vaagar and the Faroe Islands were critical in controlling the North Atlantic and at some stage in the war Sunderland Flying boats were based there.

Victor seems to have spent a number of years in RAF Vaagar. He seems from his record to have had a few months at Coastal command Headquarters from 15th June 1942 to 25th September 1942, and a period of sick leave. From 4th December 1942 he spent a week posted to RAF Wick in Northern Scotland, before returning to Vaagar. Finally however, on the 4th July 1943, he was taken on the strength of Headquarters of 15 Group RAF, before posting (26th July 1943) as a Flight Lieutenant (Intelligence) to RAF Castle Archdale where he spent about three months.

RAF Castle Archdale was located on the eastern shore of Lower Lough Erne, near the village of Lisnarick in Northern Ireland. It was used for flying boats by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Consolidated Catalinas and Short Sunderlands based there could patrol the North Atlantic for German U-boats. At the time when Victor was at the base it was home to 201 and 228 Squadrons of the RAF and 423 Squadron of the RCAF.

Next Victor passed through RAF Highgate in 28 Group from 11th to the 29th October 1943 on an Intelligence Course. From the 27th May 1944 Victor's record shows him on the Special Duties List (S.D.L. (Misc)) and gaining promotions. The Special Duties List is generally covered posts and appointments, generally overseas, which are not part of formed RAF units or stations. During the War there was an Admin and Special Duties Branch - the Special Duties bit included intelligence and various other ground jobs not covered by other specialisations. Then on the 29th April 1945 he is posted to the Air Officer Commanding Austria as part of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF). Victor's time in the RAF was ending and on the 26th October 1945 he was taken on the strength of

After the war in Europe had ended, Victor was posted on the 28th September 1945 to the Air Staff at Headquarters of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Force. HQ MEDME was originally located at Caserta in Italy, where HQ MAAF (Mediterranean Allied Air Forces) had been located, but by October 1945 had moved to Cairo. Victor's time in the RAF was ending and on the 26th October 1945 he was taken on the strength of Number 1 Release Embarkation Centre before, on the 2nd September 1946 he was finally passed through 104 Personnel Despatch Centre and was released.

One aspect of Victor's life that we do not fully understand is his connection with the area. In 1939 he is not living in the area, but by 1945 Kathleen, Victor's wife is registered on the electoral roll at Linton Close, Linton, with Emily Turner, and Victor is on the Service List of the Electoral Roll in both 1945 and 1946. Further, when the village of Linton was putting together its list of men who served Victor was included.

After the war

After the war Victor appears to have returned to his work in the law and moved to work in London. He appears on the electoral rolls at Hollycroft Avenue, Hampstead from 1949 to 1952. Victor Osan Slesser died in 1995 in Devon.

Biography last updated 07 March 2024 18:03:06.