TED Luska, who has died aged 96, survived a Russian prison during the Second World War and moved to Carterton where he worked tirelessly bringing football and better facilities to hundreds of youngsters.

Mr Luska restarted Carterton FC's boys team in the 1960s and fought the town council to bring football pitches and changing facilities to the area.

He ran the men's team in the 1970s and 1980s but it was youth team – known as Luska's Babes – he was best known for.

The former Pressed Steel factory worker continued supporting the club at matches until the week before his death earlier this month.

Tadeusz Jan Luska was born on February 5, 1921 to Polish parents Roman and Anna Luska, in the town of Czortkow, now part of Ukraine and known as Chortkiv.

In his youth he became an excellent sportsman, enjoying football, skating and especially ski jumping.

He was selected to attend an elite ski jumping school but his sporting aspirations were put on hold after the outbreak of the Second World War.

As Mr Luska tried to reach Czechoslovakia he was arrested by the Russians and spent six months in a Moscow prison before being transported north to Kotlas.

From there he was force marched to Siberia to build a rail track back to Kortlas.

To survive he took the advice of a fellow marcher, who said: “ Keep to the front to make sure of a meal at the end of the day and get a longer rest”.

In 1941 Germany invaded into Russia and Mr Luska was released and made his way south.

He joined the Polish Army and after months of travelling via Iraq and Iran, eventually arrived in Tobruk in Libya for a short recuperation.

Soon he was on his way to Sicily and from there the fighting really began as the army fought its way up the Italian coast to Monte Casino.

By now Mr Luska was a forward scout for the army and here he was awarded the Polish Silver Star.

He was demobbed in England in 1946 and, after a few months in London, settled in the Wallingford area.

He married and had two children, Peter and Anna.

He also joined the local Dorchester football team which was made up of 10 fellow Poles and one English policeman.

In 1959 the family moved to Carterton and he worked for Pressed Steel in Oxford.

He joined Carterton Football Club as a very committed committee member.

As well as running the men's team, and supporting the youth team, which became known as Luska's Babes, he was instrumental in restarting the boys football club.

During this time his marriage broke down, but by 1980 Ted had met and married June, who took on the role of team's kit washer.

It was around this time he began tirelessly searching for land that could accommodate both men and boys teams with changing and social facilities.

His tenacity eventually wore down the town council and he was granted a field in Kilkenny Lane.

Full of ideas for ways to promote Carterton FC, both on and off the field, and along joined by many other volunteers, he set about making football pitches and building a facility that by 1990 many said rivalled those of Oxford United.

Over the years these facilities have constantly been updated and upgraded.

Mr Luska has remained a constant presence at the football club and in his latter years took on an advisory and supporting role.

He died on October 15.