Oswald Rae: Magician leads E.N.S.A. company through a firefight with Japanese troops!
Englishman Oswald Rae (1892-1967) made his first professional appearance as a magician in 1912. Three years later, d uring World War One, he joined the Royal Engineers. While on active service, Rae gave over 500 magic performances in France, boosting morale for thousands of worn-down troops. He was personally thanked and complimented by General Lord Plumer, commander of Britain’s Second Army on the Western Front. After the war, Rae served in Germany with the Army of Occupation until he was demobilised. Oswald Rae (Source: Creative commons licence) On his return from Germany, Rae joined a concert party at Exmouth, England, and stayed with them until 1921 when he became manager of DeMond’s Concert Party Enterprises, Skegness. He continued with them in 1922, before going into variety theatre the next year. Often billed as ‘ The Bewildering Humorist ’ his credits included performances before British and foreign royalty. Poster advertising Oswald Rae (Source: Pu...