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The remarkable life of Bohs captain William H. Otto

The 1923-24 season was to signal the first of Bohemian Football Club’s 11 League of Ireland title wins. That maiden title was captured in the penultimate game of the season, a 2-1 victory over St. James’s Gate in Dalymount. The goals that day came from English-born centre forward Dave Roberts and Dubliner Christy Robinson at inside-left. Between them they would score 32 of the Bohs’ 56 goals that season, with Roberts finishing as the League’s top marksman with 20. But while strikers tend to get the glory this maiden victory was of course a team effort. A number of those league winning Bohs players were selected for the Irish squad that travelled to the 1924 Olympics. Men like full-back Bertie Kerr, Paddy O’Kane, Jack McCarthy, Ned Brooks and Johnny Murray would win caps for Ireland and are still remembered for their contributions for the club. However, one man who was central to those achievements but leaves less of a trace is William Henry Otto, the versatile Bohemians half-back, better known as Billy, who captained the team.

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Finding Billy

Anyone who has ever trawled through Irish newspaper archives or through any number of online census returns or genealogy sites will appreciate the difficulty in trying to track down a relative from the distant past. Particularly if that relative has a rather common surname, without having the specifics to hand working out if that John O’Sullivan or that Mary Byrne is your ancestor can be a thankless task. It is for some of these reasons that researching someone with the surname Otto in 1920’s Ireland is that bit more intriguing. However detail on the life of Billy Otto of Bohemian Football Club initially proved illusive and as his story developed it brought me on quite an unexpected journey.

What we know about Billy Otto begins with his birth in December of 1898, son of another William Henry Otto, in Robben Island just off Cape Town, South Africa. Robben Island is most famous for being the island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years from the 1960’s to 1980’s. However in 1898 it was a leper colony. William Henry Otto Snr. was a pharmacist which explains his presence on the island, though it was hardly the ideal place for a new born baby as part of the growing family. Billy being the 2nd born of a large family of 10 children.

In 1915, before he had even reached his 17th birthday young Billy had volunteered to join the 1st South African Infantry Regiment and was off to fight in World War I under the command of Brigadier General Henry Lukin. The Regiment was part of the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force which was a volunteer military organisation that fought on the British side against the Central Powers during the war. Billy’s regiment was colloquially known as the “Cape Regiment” as this was the area that provided the bulk of their manpower.

Early on the regiment fought along with the British in North Africa and was Billy was involved in the Action of Agagia in Egypt in February 1916 as part of what was known as the Senussi campaign. The Senussi were a religious sect based in Libya and Egypt who had been encouraged by Ottoman Turkey to attack the British. The engagement at Agagia led to the capture of one of the Senussi leaders.

But by May 1916 the 1st South African Infantry had left Africa and had been transferred Europe and the Western Front and were joined into the 9th Scottish Division. They would take part in some of the many epic and bloody engagements of the Battle of the Somme at Longueval and at Delville Wood. Brigadier-General Henry Lukin and his South African troops were ordered to take and hold Delville Wood at all costs. The battle was for a tiny and ultimately insignificant sliver of land as part of the huge Somme offensive and began on 15th July of 1916. By the 18th of July Billy had been injured in a massive German counter-offensive, the Germans shelled the small section of the Wood for seven and a half hours and over the course of day, in an area less than one square mile, 20,000 shells fell. In one account the trees of the woodland were all turned to matchsticks by the end of the bombardment.

The South African soldiers would continue to be shelled and sniped at from three sides until the July 20th when suffering from hunger, thirst and exhaustion they were led out of the wood. The Battle of Deville Wood would be the most costly action that the South African forces on the Western Front, of the 3,153 men from the brigade who entered the wood, only 780 were present at the roll call after their relief.

The injured Billy would ultimately be sent to England to recuperate and it is likely that from here he got the idea to travel to Ireland. What prompted this we simply don’t yet know.

What we do know is that Billy appears first as a sportsman for Bohemians in 1920, and featured regularly from 1921 as Bohemians competed in the first season of the newly formed Free State League. Billy usually played in a half-back (midfield) position in the team though did he feature in a number of other roles and proved an occasional goal-getter.

In April 1923 he features in the Bohemian XI that take on touring French side CAP Gallia in Dalymount, in what was the first visit by a continental side to Ireland since the split with the IFA. In late December 1923 Otto captained the Bohs side that travelled to Belfast to take on Linfield. Bohs won the game 4-2 in one of the first matches played against northern opposition since the split. He was then part of a selection under the Shelbourne banner (a composite side made up from several clubs) that took on members of the 1924 Olympic football team in a warm up game prior to their departure for Paris. Here he featured against his regular midfield teammates John Thomas and Johnny Murray.

Other prominent games were to follow in 1924, rather appropriately for Billy Bohemians took on the South African national team as the debut game on their European Tour. Billy once again captained Bohs as the South Africans ran out 4-2 winners. Tantalisingly the Pathé news cameras were at the ground that day and recorded some of the footage of the game and the teams posing before the match. As captain it is Billy we see receiving a piece of South African art from his opposite number. Tall, slim and dark-haired Billy would have been around 26 years of age when this footage was shot.

Billy was Bohemian captain for the 1923-24 season, a time of progress for the club as they were crowned League champions and Shield winners that year with the club also finishing as League runners-up the following year, he would also become a member of the club committee. He continued as a regular team member through to the first half of 1927 when he disappears from the match reports of the club. We know that during his time in Dublin he more than likely worked for the the revenue service as we know he lined out for them as a footballer in the Civil Service League around the same time that he was on the books of Bohemians. This wasn’t too unusual as a number of Billy’s other team-mates would have also been civil servants (i.e. Harry Willitts) at what was then still a strictly amateur club.

Billy sets sail

While Billy Otto might have been finishing up at Bohemians he was about to begin another chapter of his life. On the 24th November 1927 he boarded the steamship Bendigo (shown above) on the London docks bound for a return to Cape Town, South Africa. Billy was by this stage 29 years of age and listed his residence as the Irish Free State, more specifically at 28 Hollybank Road in Drumcondra. On the ship’s passenger list the stated country of his future residence was South Africa and his profession was recorded as bloodstock. There is a possible Bohemian connection here as one of Billy’s former teammates, Bertie Kerr was already by this stage and established bloodstock agent who would go on to purchase and sell four Aintree Grand National winners.

Billy and Bertie were known to be good friends outside of football. Is it possible that the Kerr family may have introduced Otto to the business? Perhaps, although there is strong evidence that there may have been a familial connection. Billy’s brother Johnny was a champion jockey in South Africa and later worked as a steward at the Jockey club.

In his personal life it must have been during his time living in Drumcondra that Billy was to meet his future wife Christine. Born Christina Quigley in Dalkey on 8th December 1900 to a Policeman; Thomas, and a housewife, Maryanne, by the 1911 census Christine was living on St. Patrick’s Road in Drumcondra. She is not listed as a passenger on Billy’s 1927 voyage and they did not marry in Ireland. However, we know that they did indeed get married and had three sons, tying the knot in December 1929 in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Cape Town. Records show that she had travelled to South Africa via Mozambique aboard the SS Grantully Castle just one month earlier. Christine Otto (nee Quigley) did make return visits to Ireland later in her life. She came back to Dublin via Southampton for a visit in 1950, the stated destination for her visit was to 25 Hollybank Road.

Billy departs

In March 1958 a small obituary in the Irish Times noted the passing on the 13th of that month of William H (Billy) Otto at his residence of Wingfield on the Algarkirk Road, Seapoint, Cape Town. “Beloved husband of Chriss (Quigley) late of Drumcondra, Dublin. Deeply mourned by his three sons and members of the Bohemian Football Club”. Billy’s passing occured within a week of the deaths of two other team-mates, Ned Brooks and Jack McCarthy, from that same championship winning team. Christine remained in South Africa though she is listed as returning again to Ireland in 1960, two years after Billy’s death. The address that she was to stay at for an intended 12 months was, on this occasion, in Foxrock, Dublin.

Billy had lived out his days in his native Cape Town, he and Chriss had three sons, another William Henry, Brian Barry and Terrence John. Whatever about his interest in bloodstock and horse racing Billy also had other business interests running an off-licence (locally known as “bottle stores”) up to the time of his death in 1958. In just 60 years he had led quite the life and defied the odds in many ways. Born in a leper colony, as a teenager he had survived the horrors of the Somme to go on and become one of the first prominent South African born footballers in Europe. He captained his club to a League title and faced off against the national team of his home nation in one of their earliest games. He built a life, friendships and family across two continents and I hope I’ve done a small part in restoring him to the consciousness of the Bohemian fraternity.

With thanks to Simon O’Gorman and Stephen Burke for their assistance and input and a special thank you to Maryanne and all of the Otto/Calitz family for sharing information about their late grandfather.

Check out Gerry Farrell’s “A Bohemian Sporting Life” blog.

Bendigo

BOHS BUS TO DROGHEDA

The Bohemians supporters bus is bound for United Park this Friday for our SSE Airtricity League clash with Drogheda United.

  • Departs: 5.45pm sharp (from Dalymount Park/St Peter’s Road Car Park)
  • Kick-off: 7.45pm
  • Fare: €15
  • Email bus@bohemians.ie to reserve your place.

BOHS DUO HELP IRELAND TO VICTORY

Congratulations to Bohemians duo Warren O’Hora and Ryan Graydon who made their Ireland Under-19 debuts in today’s 2-1 win over Czech Republic in Waterford’s RSC.

This follows on from Under-17 debuts for goalkeepers Kian Clarke and Sean Bohan this week.

Clarke kept a clean sheet against in the Under-17′s 2-0 victory against Macedonia in Skopje on Friday, while Bohan did likewise in a 0-0 draw against the same opposition yesterday.

In total, eight Bohemians players have been called up to Ireland underage squads this week – more than any other club in the country.

Under-19: Ryan Graydon, Warren O’Hora.
Under-17: Kian Clarke, Sean Bohan.
Under-15: Alex Egan, Eoin Galvin, James Maloney, Sean Roughan.

Republic of Ireland v Czech Republic - Under 19 International Friendly

“OUR LADS WANT TO DELIVER”

​BOHEMIANS v GALWAY UNITED
Dalymount Park, Friday September 1, 2017

​Keith Long has urged Bohemians to make home advantage pay when Galway United come to Dalymount Park.

Many of Bohs’ most notable performances and results have come on the road this season.

But without a competitive game at Dalymount Park in four weeks, the Gypsies are determined to hit the ground running in front of their own supporters.

Long said: “Our lads want to deliver. We’re the home team, so the pressure is on us to go out and perform.

“Our supporters have been right behind us throughout at Dalymount this season and they’ve given the players great encouragement.

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“We’ve had our ups and downs but we’ve four home league games now between now and the end of the season and we want to improve our record at Dalymount.”

After the highs of beating both rivals Shamrock Rovers and champions-elect Cork City away in quick succession, Bohs were left reeling after an extra-time FAI Cup exit away to Finn Harps, which was followed by a defeat away to Limerick in the league.

Long said: “We’ve been disappointing in our last two games. We didn’t hit the levels we had shown we are capable of, which was frustrating.

“We felt we left points behind us in Limerick but our performance wasn’t what it should have been.”

There are only eight points between sixth-placed Bohs and 11th-place Galway, with everyone acutely aware that the division’s congested table can change very quickly.

Long said: “We want to consolidate our league position and we want to get back to winning ways.

“Galway have good quality in their side but we have to concentrate on our own performance.”

With both sides out of the cup, Bohs and Derry City faced off in a friendly at Dalymount Park last Saturday, which finished 2-2.

Long was suitably impressed with the performances of Under-19 players JR Wilson and Cian McMullen – the latter netted Bohs’ equaliser – off the bench that he has promoted them to the first-team squad.

Long added: “It was important to have that game. It means players won’t be cold against Galway.

“Some of them wouldn’t have played for three weeks had we not had a game.

“Graham Lawlor is doing great work with the Under-19s. They’re top of the league and it’s important we try and give players an opportunity to show what they can do.

“JR and Cian came on and did well. They deserved their chance with the first team.”

TEAM NEWS

Ian Morris (suspended) and Dylan Hayes (groin) are both out.

Eoin Wearen (cruciate) remains out but it is hoped he will resume full training this week.

Oscar Brennan and Paddy Kavanagh return to the squad after suspension as does Dinny Corcoran who missed the trip to Limerick due to family commitments.

Bohs v Galway

Floodlight T-Shirt

Bohemians are delighted to unveil a bespoke new t-shirt to celebrate the iconic floodlights of Dalymount Park.

Designed by New York-based graphic designer and #Bohs fan Neil Moran, the t-shirt features imagery from the inaugural swtich-on match night programme between Arsenal and Bohemians on Wednesday, March 7th 1962.

The visitors ran out 8-3 winners and the floodlights have been lighting up the Phibsborough sky ever since.

Neil’s grandfather, Dr. Gerard Moran, was president of the club at the time and presided over the installation of the floodlights.

With red print on heather grey, the t-shirts are limited to 100 and priced at €20 each.

They are available now from both the club shop and online store, with postage available worldwide.

Check out www.neilmoran.ie for more of Neil’s work.

Floodlight t-shirt by Neil Moran

PADDY HENDERSON RIP

‪[drocap]I[/dropcap]t is with great sadness that we heard of the passing yesterday of Paddy Henderson, father of an Irish goalkeeping dynasty.

Paddy, who lived a stone’s throw from Dalymount Park in Faussagh Rd, was a goalkeeper for Shamrock Rovers and Drogheda United and later a coach with the Bohemian schoolboys.

Paddy’s son Dave was a fans’ favourite as goalkeeper for Bohs from 1992 until he hung up his gloves in 1998 and is currently our Head of Recruitment having also served as the club’s chief scout and later as goalkeeping coach during Pat Fenlon’s time in charge between 2008 and 2011.

Another goalkeeping son Stephen, now manager of Cobh Ramblers, was also on Bohs’ books in the late 1990s.

Their youngest brother Wayne was a goalkeeper for Ireland having played for Bohs at Under-10, Under-11 and Under-12 level, while Stephen’s son Stephen Jnr is currently a goalkeeper for Nottingham Forest.

Condolences to all of the Henderson family.‬

FUNERAL NOTICE/ARRANGEMENTS

Henderson, Patrick (Paddy) (Cabra, Dublin, late of Irish Fencing and formerly of Shamrock Rovers and Shandon Pitch and Putt Club) August 27th 2017 (peacefully) at the Mater Hospital, surrounded by his family, beloved husband of Angela and loving father of David, Robert, Stephen, Wayne and Martina; sadly missed by his family, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews relatives and a wide circle of friends.

Rest in Peace

Reposing On Tuesday 29th. August 2017 in Lanigan’s Funeral Home, Faussagh Avenue, Cabra between 2 pm and 5pm. Removal on Wednesday morning to the Church of Christ the King, Cabra arriving at 9 50 a.m. for Mass at 10 00 a.m. Funeral afterwards to Glasnevin Crematorium. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to the Parkinsons Association of Ireland.

Wayne Henderson 29570c17

BOHS KEEPERS INCLUDED IN IRELAND U17 SQUAD

There was more international recognition for Bohemians today following the inclusion of our Under-19 goalkeeper Kian Clarke and our Under-17 goalkeeper Sean Bohan in the Ireland Under-17 squad for next week’s friendlies against Macedonia.

Kian and Sean will link up with Colin O’Brien’s side who travel to Skopje on Monday.

Their call-ups come on the back of the inclusion yesterday of Warren O’Hora and Ryan Graydon in Tom Mohan’s Ireland Under-19s squad to face Czech Republic in a friendly double-header at Waterford’s RSC next week.

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BOHS DUO IN IRELAND U19s SQUAD

Bohemians duo Warren O’Hora and Ryan Graydon have been included in the Ireland Under-19 squad for next month’s friendly double-header against Czech Republic.

With five League of Ireland players included in Tom Mohan’s 19-man squad in total, Bohs are the most highly represented of any club.

They could also end up being joined by club-mates Steven Nolan and Jamie Hamilton, who are both on the standby list should there be any withdrawals.

Ireland face the Czechs at the RSC in Waterford on Saturday September 2 (7.45pm) and the sides meet again at the same venue two days later on Monday September 4 (1pm).

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Mohan has allowed O’Hora to team up with the international squad after Bohemians’ SSE Airtricity League game against Galway United on Friday September 1 meaning he will still be available for club duty.

Having turned down a scholarship in the United States, Cabra man O’Hora, a former Under-17s and Under-19s captain of the club, made his senior league debut off the bench against St Patrick’s Athletic in June and hasn’t looked back since.

Graydon also progressed through Jimmy Mowlds’ Bohemians Under-17s and has been a mainstay this season in Graham Lawlor’s Bohemians Under-19s, who are currently three points clear at the top of the Northern Elite Division.

Bohemians manager Keith Long said: “It is a great reward for both players’ efforts and performances.

“Warren has obviously progressed through to the first team now. It’s a huge step up but he’s shown he is well able for it.

“Ryan has been around the fringes too so we are delighted for them both. Their performances and development deserve this recognition.

“It’s great recognition too for the work that Graham and Craig Sexton are doing behind the scenes at the club with the Under-19s.”

IRELAND UNDER-19 SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Mark Travers (Bournemouth – on loan to Weymouth), Brian Maher (St Patrick’s Athletic).
Defenders: Rian O’Sullivan (Brighton & Hove Albion), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Lee O’Connor (Manchester United), Tyreke Wilson (Manchester City), Warren O’Hora (Bohemians), Canice Carroll (Oxford United), Callum Mollett (Walsall)
Midfielders: Dan McKenna (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Aaron Bolger (Shamrock Rovers), John Martin (Waterford), Anthony Scully (West Ham United), Conor Coventry (West Ham United), Ryan Graydon (Bohemians), Jayson Molumby (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Forwards: Kian Flanagan (Crystal Palace), Aaron Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jonathan Afolabi (Southampton).

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BOHS TO HOST DERRY ON SATURDAY

Bohemians v Derry City
Friendly
Saturday August 26 2017, Dalymount Park, 2pm

Bohemians will host Derry City in a friendly at Dalymount Park this Saturday at 2pm.

There is no admission charge for members, season ticket holders or under-12s.

General admission is €5.

The Phoenix Bar will open before the game at 1pm (Members’ Bar is closed for a private function).

Bohemians v Derry City - SSE Airtricity League Premier Division

WE HAVE REFOCUSED

​LIMERICK v BOHEMIANS
SSE Airtricity League
Saturday August 19 2017, Markets Field, 6.30pm

Keith Long says Bohemians have refocused and are fully committed to the challenges ahead this season.

The Gypsies suffered an agonising FAI Cup exit away to Finn Harps last Friday.

Leading 3-2 in the third minute of injury-time, Bohs conceded a sucker-punch penalty before being dumped out 4-3 in extra time.

But manager Long believes his players know they cannot afford to dwell on the manner of that defeat.

He wants to consolidate Bohs’ position in sixth place – tomorrow’s opposition are just five points in eighth having been overtaken by St Patrick Athletic tonight.

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Long said: “We all know we’ve got to pick ourselves up, we have no other choice.

“The lads were devastated at the manner of the defeat in Ballybofey, you could feel that in training on Sunday.

“But we have refocused now. There’s been a bright and positive atmosphere in training since.”

While Bohs are currently in the top half, only six points now separate them and the relegation zone after tonight’s results.

Such is the congested nature of the table that nobody has stopped looking over their shoulders yet.

Long added: “We’ve eight really important games between now and the end of the season.

“We are not out of the woods yet, despite our current position.

“But our recent league form has given us every reason to feel positive.

“Limerick are a team in and around us so it’s important we try and give a performance capable of getting a result.

“Our form has been decent away from home so we have to go and give a good account of ourselves.”

TEAM NEWS

Oscar Brennan and Paddy Kavanagh are suspended.

With goalkeeper Greg Murray (hand) out for the rest of the season, Colin McCabe, signed from Celtic, will take his place on the bench.

Eoin Wearen (cruciate) remains out.

Bohemian FC press conference
Website by Simon Alcock