By
Lizzie Parry
|
A decorated military commander, hailed as one of Britain’s greatest, has been accused of molesting children while serving as the Queen’s representative in Australia.
Field Marshal William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim, has been accused of abusing the youngsters who attended a school for underprivileged children.
Victims in Australia have come forward, claiming they were abused by the First and Second World War veteran, who died in 1970 at the age of 79.
Accused: Field Marshal Viscount William Slim has been accused of molesting children at Fairbridge Farm School in south western Australia, while he served as Governor-General to the country. He is pictured (right) inspecting the troops during the Burma Campaign during the Second World War
School: The majority of pupils at Fairbridge Farm School, of which Viscount Slim was a patron, were British migrants
Mr Stevens claims Viscount Slim would arrive at the school in his Rolls Royce and ‘the next minute we were sitting on his knee and he’s got his hands up our trousers’.
The majority of pupils at the school were British migrants. Mr Stevens was sent to Fairbridge from England at the age of eight.
He has given testimony in private to Australia’s royal commission into child abuse.
The former pupil is also preparing to apply to the commissioner to have Viscount Slim stripped of his peerage.
Another former student, David Hill, who has written a book about the school and is former managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, said he is aware of two other boys who claim they were also molested by Viscount Slim.
Victims: The allegations against Viscount Slim (left with his wife Lady Slim and right) as 65 alleged victims of abuse filed a lawsuit against Fairbridge Farm School
Viscount Slim (right) died in 1970 at the age of 79
The alleged abuse happened while Viscount Slim was serving in Australia as Governor-General from 1953 to 1960.
The claims came to light as 65 alleged victims of abuse took action against Fairbridge Farm School, of which Viscount Slim was patron.
Mr Stevens said the abuse he suffered at the hands of Viscount Slim ‘has never left me and it can’t leave me’.
He told ABC news: ‘He used to visit Fairbridge and we were all in some cases given rides in his Rolls-Royce car.
‘I don’t care how brilliant a man he might have been militarily, if he abused children the way I was abused and others, I don’t think people like that have the right to continue… in terms of peerage that goes on from family to family to family. I think that it’s outrageous.’
Viscount Slim fought in both world wars. He led the Fourteenth Army, the so-called ‘Forgotten Army’ to victory against the Japanese in Burma during the Second World War.
Lord Mountbatten labelled him ‘the finest general World War II produced’.
Comments (14)
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knigto,
solihull,
32 minutes ago
Someone else whose reputation others are trying to destroy 40 years after he died. If you can’t put up when they are alive then shut up.
Comuter,
Worcestershire,
40 minutes ago
Viscount Slim was a magnificent soldier and a master strategist. If these allegations were proved to be true these victims should be compensated.
Ralf,
Croydon,
40 minutes ago
Don’t go imagining this is just a case of more people jumping on the current pedophilia expose bandwagon, these allegations were brought to public attention back in 2007 in his book on the suffering those Fairbridge Children had to endure.
Keith Expat Expat,
Perth, Australia,
43 minutes ago
Claims made for incidents that allegedly too place 55 years ago concerning a war hero who died 44 years ago! And we are to take this seriously?!!!
Pip Waller,
North Yorkshire, United Kingdom,
47 minutes ago
Offensive and disgusting if the allegations are true about Viscount Slim, that goes without question. But, it seems amazing that he died in 1970 yet it has taken until now for the allegations to come out, inquiry or no inquiry. One does get the suspicion some of these sexual allegations have more to do with the possibility of compensation than anything else.
Don Logan,
Alderley Edge Cheshire, United Kingdom,
51 minutes ago
There’s a coincidence. There was a guy on Mastermind tonight and his specialist subject was this guy.
Marble11,
Cardiff,
59 minutes ago
What could anyone possibly have to gain from this? The man is dead so he can’t even defend himself it should be left to rest.
Surrey12,
Chelmsford, United Kingdom,
1 hour ago
Anyone else? I fear we shall run out of personalities soon both past and present who look good to gain a few bob out of for such an easy allegation that’s so hard to disprove. Could become a whole new industry.
alibongo,
glasgow, United Kingdom,
1 hour ago
I need the money now…..a few thousand dollars please……if it wasn’t Viscount Slim then it must have been somebody else……they are all dead now so what the heck they cannot defend themselves. I have been severely traumatised for the past FIFTY odd years….I couldn’t sleep or have have a normal life. You must believe me.
charlesbridge,
prague,
1 hour ago
More witch hunting and cleansing of the nations soul, too many years on. Why don’t these people come forward sooner if all this really was the case? Has to be about money and what can be got out of it! I’m a pensioner now and soon there will be no good memories of the country I once knew!
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British military commander Viscount William Slim accused of molesting children
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