In Memory of
Warrant Officer Allan Otto


Stationed at RAF Fairlop, rank then Sergeant, between 13 November and 15 December 1941.

Died 16 May 1943 age 21.


Allan Walter Otto Warrant Officer Class 1 R/68549 Pilot Royal Canadian Air Force, died 16 May 1943 age 21.
Stationed at RAF Fairlop, rank then Sergeant, between 13 November and 15 December 1941.
Allan son of Berthold Albert and Edia Elizabeth Otto of Fort William, Ontario, Canada,
is buried at Bone War Cemetery Annada, Algeria.


Allan as a young man training in Canada
Reproduced with the kind permission of Archie Otto

Allan, born 5 June 1921 was raised in Fort William near Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
He was said to have been a quiet man who took pride in everything he did, but showed no interest in flying.
In 1940, then aged 19, he announced to his family that as there was a recruiting team in the local armoury,
he intended to join up. His parents gave him their blessing, when in July 1940 he left home to commence
training at a Manning Depot.
He received his wings in February 1941 followed by 18 days leave, then he reported to 57 OTU, then to 122 Squadron,
based at Turnhouse.
In June he flew 5 operational sorties mainly convoy patrols and a scramble to intercept an unidentified aircraft,
which proved to be friendly. He was posted to 603 Squadron on 27 August 1943 with Harold Bennett, and the two men became firm friends.

12 September 1941.

603 Squadron were posted to the recently completed RAF Station Fairlop, under command of S/L HGP Ovendon.

Harold Bennett (second left)and Allan Otto(fourth Left) together with other pilots,
probably at RAF Hornchurch


Reproduced with kind permission of Harold Bennett

Allan between August 1941 & March 1942
Possibly taken at RAF Fairlop

Reproduced with kind permission of Archie Otto

603 Squadron 'A' Flight,
possibly RAF Fairlop Autumn 1941
Left-Right F/Sgt Allan Otto, F/Sgt Prytherch, Sgt Dalley and Sgt Forester
Front F/L Bill Douglas & 'Tannoy' Jones


Reproduced with kind permission of Archie Otto

The traditional segregation of officers and other ranks was maintained. They only mixed when on duty.
The Officers and Sergeants messes were strictly out of bounds to each other and even off station,
they drank in separate pubs. This tradition did not worry Allan or his friend Harold Bennett,
being non drinkers and when off duty travelled to the West End via nearby Fairlop Station.

8 December 1941.

0900-1030. Allan in Spitfire Va R7333 Convoy Patrol. By coincidence at 1105 Harold Bennett also in R7333 took off on Ramrod to xxx
but he was shot down in the Channel off Le Touquet and taken prisoner.

Date?

603 Squadron posted to Dyce in Scotland.

13 April 1942

Alan as part of 603 posted to Ta Kali, Malta via USS Wasp. 20 April Alan took off from USS Wasp to Malta via Algeria.

2 May 1942

Alan's first operational sortie.

6th May 1942

Alan flying Spitfire AB340 at 0850 crashed on landing and substained bruising, concussion and head injuries.
Although still injured Flight Sergeant Otto was part of ‘A’ flight.

27th July 1942

Allen sent home to recover. In Britain Allan soon recovered and returned to flying duties. Soon after he went to Cranfield to join 3501 Servicing Unit.
Testing repaired aeroplanes could be dangerous and required a skilful pilot if something had not been done properly. In 1943 Allen, now a Warrant Officer, was sent to North Africa to join 110 Repair and Salvage Unit.
These units performed a difficult task of recovering and repairing aircraft that forced landed in the desert.

On Sunday 16th 1943 aboard Spitfire Vb EP 688, Alan took off on a road about 21 miles east of Sbeitfe.
As the aircraft reached flying speed, a lorry carrying troops turned onto the road.
Alan turned sharply at low level to avoid the lorry, but the wing-tip caught the top of a cable carrying pole
which sent Spitfire crashing into the ground.
It burst into flames and Alan aged twenty-one, died shortly afterwards in hospital.

Reproduced with kind permission of Archie Otto
After Harold Bennett was released from being a POW, he tried to ascertain what has happened to his friend Alan Otto.
He made contact with the family in Thunder Bay and both families have remained friends since and keeping in close touch.

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Page created 20 February 2004