Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The third of nine children, Bill was born in 1924 in Beverley WA to Edward (Ted) Albert Otway (b1900 in Beverley WA) and Florence Pettit (b1898 in York WA). Ted was a Farm Hand in Beverley WA in 1917 when he enlisted in WWI (Private; Service No:52092) and he and Florence married in 1922 in Beverley WA. They were at Doodananning in York WA where Ted was a Farmer before moving to Burracoppin, Northam WA in the late 1920s where Ted was a Farm Manager. In the 1930s the family lived at Tammin in Mullewa WA where Ted was a Labourer, moving again in 1940 to Mt Helena where Ted was a PMG Linesman when he enlisted in the Army in 1941 (Private; Service Nos:WX39271/W26485). In the mid 1950s Ted moved to Carnarvon WA where he was a Labourer on Babbage Island.

Bill was in Mt Helena, Northam in 1943 when he enlisted in the Australian Army, and was a Private (Service Nos:WX41049/W97047) attached to 21 Australian Works Coy when he was Discharged in October 1946.

In 1945 Bill married Betty Fitzpatrick (b1925 in Sydney NSW) and following his Discharge worked in Guildford WA as a Railways Employee. In the early 1950s Bill and Betty settled in Sydney NSW where Bill was a Process Worker. In the early 1970s the couple moved to Penrith NSW where Bill was a Foreman and Betty a Charge Hand. Bill died in 1995 and Betty in 2022.