'Very jolly' Caribbean WWII veteran dies aged 102

A Caribbean World War Two veteran with a "terrific sense of humour" has died at the age of 102.

Ralph Ottey was just 19 when he left Jamaica to join the RAF in 1944. He went on to live in Boston, Lincolnshire.

On Monday, the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) Boston Branch announced Ralph's death "with much sadness", and described him as a "longstanding member".

Derek Coates, 88, a volunteer for the branch, said Ralph was someone who "greeted you with a smile and a handshake" and his death had left "a hole which cannot be filled".

Derek, who has been a member of the RAFA Boston Branch since 1979, said he first crossed paths with Ralph when his late wife, Rosemary, worked at Beaulah's fruit and vegetable canning factory in Boston after they moved to the town in 1971.

Derek said Ralph had been the managing director of the frozen foods department.

"My wife always spoke very highly of Mr Ottey, as she called him.

"He had a terrific sense of humour. To me he was a very jolly sort of man and very friendly.

"He greeted you with a smile and a handshake. Lovely chap," he said.

Ralph previously told BBC Look North he wanted to become a teacher but instead became one of more than 10,000 West Indians who travelled across the Atlantic to join the fight against Hitler.

He first worked as a driver for an officer of 617 Squadron before passing his air crew exam.

Derek said he discovered Ralph was ex-RAF when he was looking at documents during his time as a membership secretary of the branch.

During his time as a driver in the RAF, Derek said Ralph had driven "long vehicles" with "no street lighting because there was a blackout".

He said: "I remember asking him once how on earth they coped in the darkness. There were no headlights as such.

"He just smiled, chuckled and said to me: 'Well there were two of us. One would get out and we'd just keep on trying until we managed to negotiate all these country roads'."

On his 100th birthday, Ralph told BBC Look North that, as well as nightly prayers, his longevity was down to doing sit-ups for an hour every day, including on his birthday.

Kamran Sheikh previously said his great-grandfather was "one of the most positive people" he knew.

His funeral will be held on 11 June at The Centenary Church on Red Lion Street in Boston, starting at 11:30 BST.

Derek added: "He was a prominent man in Boston. He was a very much valued member of the community.

"He leaves a hole which cannot be filled."

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