Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Squadron Leader

Awarded on:

November 12th, 1943

"One day in June, 1943, a Beaufighter aircraft crashed into an ammunition store when taking off and immediately caught fire. Both occupants of the aircraft were stunned and unable to get out unaided. Despite the bursting of the aircraft's war load of ammunition (which included cannon shells), the 30,000 rounds of ammunition which were exploding in the store and the grave danger of the petrol tanks exploding, Sqn Ldr Ottewill, accompanied by 2 others, went to the scene of the accident in an endeavour to rescue the crew. Sqn Ldr Ottewill, ignoring a burning petrol tank, jumped on to the wing and after opening the front hatch, he succeeded in releasing the pilot and dragged him clear. Sqn Ldr Ottewill then returned and rescued the observer who was in happened. Shortly afterwards a petrol tank exploded. Sqn Ldr Ottewill, who had been severely burned on a previous occasion when his own aircraft was shot down by the enemy, accepted the risk of further severe burns, and injury in going to the assistance of his comrades and effecting their rescue. Fortunately he sustained only slight burns during this rescue."