Alastair Ogilvy
Charles Alexander Ogilvy | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Alistair |
| Born | 30 November 1915 Kelso,Scotland |
| Died | 23 February 1995(aged 79) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1939–1945 |
| Rank | Squadron Leader |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | 1939–45 Star medal(with the Battle of Britain Clasp) |
Squadron LeaderCharles Alexander "Alistair" Ogilvy(30 November 1915 – 23 February 1995) was a BritishRoyal Air Forceofficer who flew withFighter Commandduring theBattle of Britain.Due to records being lost duringWorld War II,he was not recognised as one ofThe Fewuntil after his death.[1]
Early life
[edit]Ogilvy, who was known throughout his life as Alastair, was born on 30 November 1915 inKelso,Scotland, the eldest of five sons. He was educated atEdinburgh Academy.After leaving school he moved to London and worked for the Northern Assurance Company. Whilst living in London Ogilvy played rugby union for theLondon Scottish rugby club.
Royal Air Force
[edit]Ogilvy joined theRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reservein 1939 and was trained as a pilot atRAF Woodleynear Reading. He was given the rank ofSergeanton 29 September 1940.[2]He joinedNo. 610 Squadron RAFatRAF Acklingtonon 14 October 1940 and flew two operationalsortieson 25 October 1940, this qualifying him for theBattle of Britain Clasp.
Ogilvy was posted toRAF Cranwellas a flying instructor, where he trained more than 120 pilots over a 3-year period in over 1,000 flights. He was commissioned on 29 September 1941[3]and promoted to the rank ofFlight Lieutenanton 29 September 1942.[4]
He was posted toNo. 622 Squadron RAFatRAF Mildenhallin 1945, flyingLancaster bombers,and took part in 16 bombing raids, as well as OperationsManna(delivering food parcels to the Netherlands),Exodus(bringing home British prisoners of war), Baedecker, and Dodge Bari.[5]
Later life
[edit]Ogilvy had married in 1939 and had two daughters, Anne born in 1940 and Susan born in 1942.
After the end of the war Ogilvy returned to the insurance business. He continued to play rugby union for theLondon Scottish rugby club,captaining the 1st XV in 1946–7 season.
He finally retired in 1985 by which time he was a director and secretary of the Reinsurance Offices Association. He enjoyed his golf and garden, and was a Church warden. Ogilvy died, aged 79, on 23 February 1995.
Recognition as one of The Few
[edit]Upon the death of her mother, Susan, Ogilvy's daughter, found that her father's1939–45 Star medalhad aBattle of Britain Claspon it.[1]She also found records which showed her father had flown Spitfires and took part in two sorties on 25 October 1940. She hired a researcher and contacted the Battle of Britain Memorial Committee to start the process of verifying her father's wartime records.
Initially it was believed that Ogilvy's name could not be added to theBattle of Britain London Monument[6]but after support from a company, the name was added to the bronze panel.[7]
Ogilvy's name was unveiled on 26 July 2010.[6]Present were Ogilvy's daughter, Susan,Robert Foster (pilot),the Chairman of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association, Councillor Robert Davis, Deputy LeaderWestminster City Council,Michael Conway, managing director FM Conway (who had funded the addition), and Air Commodore Gordon Bruce, representing theChief of the Air Staff.
References
[edit]- ^ab"WWII pilot's name to be added to monument".BBC.26 July 2010.Retrieved30 January2018.
- ^"No. 34976".The London Gazette.22 October 1940. p. 6143.
- ^"No. 35387".The London Gazette.19 December 1941. p. 7187.
- ^"No. 35765".The London Gazette(Supplement). 27 October 1942. p. 4705.
- ^Foot, Tom (30 July 2010)."Charles Alexander Ogilvy – Squadron leader's records uncovered 70 years after he took to the skies in Battle of Britain".Camden New Journal.Retrieved30 January2018.
- ^ab"The Airmen's Stories - P/O C A Ogilvy".The Battle of Britain London Monument.Retrieved30 January2018.
- ^"Forgotten World War II Hero Recognized".Flight Journal.13 August 2010.Retrieved30 January2018.