Moffatt, David Gabriel

Operation Frankton

Date of birth:: November 20th, 1920 (Belfast/Northern Ireland, United Kingdom)
Date of death:: December 8th, 1942
Mentioned on:: Plymouth Naval Memorial
Service number:: Ply/X 108881
Nationality:: British

Biography

Moffat was born in Belfast. The family later emigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada, where Moffatt joined the 15th Halifax Scout troop at St Joseph & St Bernard’s Church, Boothtown. He initially served in the Mercantile Marine but soon volunteered for the Royal Marine Commandos in which he served with the elite Boom Patrol Detachment in preparation for Operation Frankton.

Moffatt paddled "Conger" alongside Corporal George Sheard, aiming to sabotage German shipping in Bordeaux. Tragically, their canoe capsized in the Gironde estuary, and both men died from hypothermia on December 8, 1942. Moffat washed ashore and was subsequently buried by the Germans somewhere in the dunes. Sheard was lost at sea. Both men are commemorated on the Naval Memorial Plymouth.

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