A Caribbean-born World War Two veteran who traveled almost 5,000 miles to join the legendary Dambusters Squadron has died at his Lincolnshire home aged 102. Ralph Ottey was just 19 when he left Jamaica to join the RAF in 1944, becoming part of the famed 617 Squadron. He stated it was his duty to help his 'mother country' defeat Hitler.
The Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) Boston Branch announced the hero's death 'with much sadness.' Mr. Ottey, who lived in Boston, Lincolnshire, originally wanted to become a teacher but instead became one of more than 10,000 West Indians who traveled across the Atlantic to fight the Nazis. He initially worked as a driver for an officer of 617 Squadron before passing his air crew exam and taking to the skies.
From Jamaica to the Skies
Ralph Ottey recalled his journey: 'In less than no time, I was a little boy from Jamaica flying in a Lancaster bomber. I was part of the world's best known bombing squadron, 617. I still have my 617s.' The Dambusters famously conducted a night-time raid on dams in the Ruhr Valley in Germany on 17 May 1943. The squadron was deployed for numerous operations over the years and suffered many casualties.
Mr. Ottey remembered the tension of waiting for comrades to return: 'We all waited up to hear what happened if they would return. They just didn't come back. But when they did return, we had what we called a blowout.'
Patriotic Duty
Brought up by his grandparents, Mr. Ottey said his sense of patriotic duty developed while at school. 'We thought we were part of England. You were brought up to think like that because all the books you had at school; they were all based on England.'
After leaving the West Indies, Mr. Ottey underwent intense training that transformed him from a civilian to a soldier. He added: 'You changed from a 19-year-old who sees life as an easy street. Within 13 weeks you were trained that if you had to fight for your life, you could easily kill someone to save yourself. We knew how to respond to the word of command. If your superior officer said jump, you would jump.'
Post-War Life and Legacy
In 1948 he briefly returned to Jamaica on HMT Empire Windrush, the same ship that later brought the first post-war Caribbean workers to the UK to fill labor shortages. Its passengers and others who arrived from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1971 became known as the Windrush generation.
Following his return to the UK, he worked as an accountant and married Mavis Reece, from Boston. Their daughter, Lesley Morrison, described her father as 'an inspiration.' On his 100th birthday, Ralph told BBC Look North that his longevity was due to nightly prayers and doing sit-ups for an hour every day, including on his birthday.
His funeral will be held on June 11 at The Centenary Church on Red Lion Street in Boston, starting at 11.30am.
