• Operation Chastise (Dambusters Raid)

Date of birth:

March 4th, 1922 (Battersea/London, United Kingdom)

Date of death:

May 17th, 1943 (Hamm, Germany)

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Cemetery Reichswald Forest
Plot: 31. Row: F. Grave: 11.

Service number:

141460

Nationality:

British

Warner "Bill" Ottley, born in Battersea, London on 4 March 1922, was the eldest of three sons. His father, a War Office civil servant, had earned the French Legion d’honneur for his First World War work. Ottley attended Hurstpierpoint College and joined the RAF in 1941, training as a pilot in Canada before returning to the UK.

After brief stints with 50 and 83 Squadrons, he transferred to 207 Squadron. His first mission was on 23 November 1942. Over the next few months, he flew 21 operations before joining 617 Squadron in April 1943. Ottley had been commissioned and recommended for a DFC, though the decoration was only confirmed posthumously.

Leading Wave Three of Operation Chastise, AJ-C took off at 0009 on 17 May 1943. The plane was likely hit by flak over Germany and crashed north of Hamm.

Ottley and his crew perished instantly, except for Fred Tees, whose turret was blown clear of the wreckage. Originally buried in Hamm, they were later reinterred in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• Photo 1: Findagrave
• - CWGC
  - Dambusters

Helaas geen map gevonden.