Desmond Boyd-Otley

Desmond Boyd-Otley was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the 5th August 1925. He was the son of a local GP who had served with the Seaforth Highlanders; as an army doctor, on the western front, during the GreatWar. Sadly, Desmond’s parents separated when he was 11 - he went to live with his maternal Grandparents in Yorkshire.

Desmond was the nephew of British Music Hall star HORACE KENNEY c 1888-1955;  and the cousin of British stage and screen star JAMES KENNEY 1930-1987.

Desmond volunteered for the army in 1943; enlisting at Maryhill Barracks in Glasgow. He proudly served with the 2nd Bttn. Scots Guards from 1943-1960. He was on the staff at Sandhurst for a time; and recruited for the Scots Guards in South Scotland and the Lothians.

On Saturday, 6th June1959, he married the love of his life - Aileen. They had one son, Damian, born in 1960.

Desmond wrote several novels, and many magazine articles. He was a member of the ‘Society of Authors’.

In 1995, he was preparing to take his wife and son home to Edinburgh ‘for along, happy and busy retirement’. But fate had other plans…..Sadly, Desmond had developed an inoperable Brain Tumour, and Parkinson’s Disease….which quickly turned into severe Dementia. His wife and son cared for him in his final years.

Desmond Otley at the Anne Frank exhibition at Tullie House Carlisle JONATHAN BECKER