| Station Victor | |
|---|---|
| Part ofSI/London | |
| Hurley, Berkshire,United Kingdom | |
 | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Communications |
| Owner | Office of Strategic Services |
| Operator | Secret Intelligence Branch |
| Controlled by |  United States |
| Condition | Mostly demolished |
| Location | |
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| Coordinates | 51°31′23″N0°48′43″W / 51.523042°N 0.811875°W /51.523042; -0.811875 |
| Site history | |
| In use | 1943-1945 |
| Demolished | 1945 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders | George Lewis Graveson |
| Designations | Blue plaque |
Station VICTOR, also known as theHurley Communications Center, inHurley, Berkshire, was the primary communications facility of theOffice of Strategic Services (OSS) in the United Kingdom between 1943 and 1945, operated by members of itsSecret Intelligence Branch (SI), overseen by the command and control ofSI/London.[1] Here, between 150 and 200 Americans were stationed at radio listening posts, communicating with officers and spies deployed to mainland Europe, and analyzing communications from theWehrmacht and other military operations of theAxis powers inOccupied France.[2] Station Victor was especially vital to the success ofOperation SUSSEX, communicating with the radio operators deployed with SI Branch OSSEX Teams to France on secret operations in the lead-up to theNormandy landings.[3]
Station Victor's headquarters building was at Hurley Manor.[4] The radio signals office and receiving site contained 8 radio huts and several communications masts, located on the top of Ashley Hill, near the town.[5] The boosted transmitting tower was located down the river inBisham.[4] Lower-ranked soldiers and SI civilians were housed in a barracks facility at a local farmyard, while officers were provided requisitioned housing in the town. The bar ofThe Olde Bell was requisitioned as theofficer's club.[2]
The secret communications huts were torn down shortly after the war. Severalblue plaques were donated by theOSS Society and unveiled in June 2019, marking some of the historic locations of Station Victor that are still standing.[2]
For approximately a year between 1943 and 1944, in conjunction with SI at Station Victor,Special Operations Branch (SO) operated another OSS radio Station CHARLES on Poundon Hill inPoundon. However, these SO operators then moved to Station Victor in 1944 in the buildup to the Normandy operations.[6]
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