Marcus M. Kaizer (Kaye) was born in London where his Father, Myer, was a teacher at the South London Jewish School. The family moved to Liverpool in 1902 when Myer was appointed the Head of the Hebrew School there. In 1910 his parents were appointed Headmaster and matron of the Norwood Jewish Orphanage, where they remained for 25 years.

After leaving Dulwich College in 1916 Marcus joined the Royal Flying Corps and served in France the following year as a pilot with the 18 Squadron.

On 7 May 1917 the FE2b Biplane no. A5487 flown by 2nd Lieutenant Kaizer and his observer Sgt F Russell was hit by enemy fire whilst on a photography mission over the 5th Army area. Although Marcus managed to land behind enemy lines he was captured and held as a POW (Prisoner of War) at Stettin, Augustabad and Schweidnitz prisoner-of-war camps. He escaped from Stettin, was recaptured, and again escaped to Poland by disguising himself as a German workman. Marcus was repatriated to Britain on 25 December 1918. Marcus was mentioned in dispatches as a result of his escape attempts and was awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

After the war he obtained a First in Mechanical Sciences at Cambridge. He served in the RAF during the Second World War playing an active part in planning the Dunkirk, Dieppe, and D-Day operations; was twice mentioned in dispatches; reached the rank of wing-commander; and was appointed an OBE in 1945.

After his retirement from business he became a sculptor, exhibiting at the Ben Uri and other galleries; one of his outstanding pieces, a bust of Sir Barnes Wallace, was placed in the RAF Club in Piccadilly. He was a member of the Society of Portrait Sculptors. A black belt and fifth Dan in judo and a pioneer of the sport in Britain, he became President of London-based Budokwai (founded 1918), Europe's oldest and largest Japanese martial arts club. In his youth he was involved in the Jewish Lads Brigade.



Researched for 'We Were There Too' by Dr Ronnie Fraser