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Victor Albert Villiers Zacharias-Jessel (1896-1917)


Oxford man served as 2nd lieutenant with DLI commemorated on the Arras Memorial


Victor Jessel was born Victor Albert Villiers Zacharias in Oxford on 24 January 1896, the youngest of the three sons of Joel and Rebecca Zacharias. The family added the name Jessel to avoid anti-semitism. Victor was a pupil at the City of Oxford High School for Boys until 1905 (and he is commemorated on the School’s War Memorial) then went to Magdalen College School which he left in December 1914. He joined the army in January 1915 with the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps.

Victor became a 2nd Lieutenant in 7th battalion of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) and reached France on 10 July 1915. He suffered from shell shock was declared unfit for general service and returned to England on 25 February 1916. He returned to the front line with the 15th Battalion of the DLI in September 1916. He was killed leading a patrol in no-man’s land on Good Friday 6 April 1917; he was the youngest lieutenant in the battalion and the first Jewish man from Oxford to die in the War. His body was never found. He is commemorated is on Bay 8 of the Arras Memorial and on the headstone of his father in St Giles’ churchyard Wolvercote Cemetery.

Oxford Jewish Heritage website, Victor Jessel page:
http://www.oxfordjewishheritage.co.uk/oxford-jewish-heritage/modern-period-1656-/personalities/266-victor-jessel

Oxford History website, Oxford City High School for Boys war memorial
http://www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/war/schools/oxfordboyshigh/index.html

Saint Giles Church, Oxford website, war memorial page:
http://www.st-giles-church.org/stgiles/new-notices/war-memorial-100th-anniversary/

Birth date: 24-Jan-1896

Death date: 06-Apr-1917

Residence: 26 and 27 Corn Market Street, Oxford (1901 census)
38 Banbury Road, Oxford (1911 census)

Education: City of Oxford High School for Boys
Magdalen College School

Family: Parents: Joel Zacharia, Rebecca Zacharias
Siblings: Goerge J Zacharias, Arthur R F Zacharias (1901 census)

Military service:

Inns of Court Officer Training Corps
7th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
2nd Lieutenant

Medal(s): 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal

Memorial(s): City of Oxford High School for Boys: war memorial
Saint Giles Church, Oxford: war memorial

Gender: Male

Contributed by swejk, darlington


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