Tutor aircraft flies over church as Carrickfergus says sad farewell to WW11 hero

A ‘Tutor’ aircraft from the NI university Air Squadron flew over the cortege as it stepped off outside the Albert Road church.

It was one of a number of tributes to Mr Moffatt, who died peacefully on March 8 at The Somme Nursing Home, Belfast. He was 97.

An RAF Association, which included serving Wg Cdr Jacqueline Rankin, and led by Carrickfergus RAFA chairman, Wg Cdr Noel Williams, paid tribute after the service, during which the Rev Paul Clarke delivered the eulogy, the RAF Association Ode was read and the Last Post was played by the British Legion Bugler.

Danny Kinahan, the Veterans Commissioner, also attended the funeral.

David Moffatt was born in Belfast on February 25, 1925. He was the son of David Samuel and Amy (nee Elliott) Moffatt. His father had served with the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

Their house in Woodvale Drive was badly damaged during the Blitz of 1941, necessitating the family live with a relative at Dundonald before moving to a permanent home at Loopland Road.

David was educated at Everton Elementary School on the Crumlin Road. On leaving school, he became an apprentice with the shipbuilding firm of Harland and Wolff, Belfast, where he spent the next four years. He was also a member of the Crown Boxing Club, Belfast.

He enlisted in the RAF in February 1943 and after initial training, he qualified as an Air Gunner at No 11 Gunnery School on the Isle of Man.

Posted to 166 Squadron Bomber Command on August 10 1944, he undertook his first raid on August 25 against Russelheim in Germany.

Several operations against Le Havre and Calais in support of Army operations followed in August and September interspersed with further action over Germany.

From September 1944 onwards he operated mostly against German targets including in the Baltic, disrupting U-boat training.

Towards the end of his 30 sortie tour he took part in raids on oil production facilities at Scholven Buer and Merseberg-Leuna.

He flew his last sortie on December 29 1944 over Scholven-Buer in the Ruhr Valley.

He flew with a typically Commonwealth crew. His pilot was a New Zealander and his fellow gunner was a Canadian.

David, who earned the 1939-45 Star, the France and Germany Star and the War Medal, left the RAF in April 1946.

He went on to become a dog handler with the Metropolitan Police, serving for 26 years and earning the Police Medal.

His working life later included a period as chief security officer for an electronics firm.

He had met Joan who was a WAAF while serving with No 166 Squadron. They were married on April 23, 1946 in Whitton, Middlesex.

They were married for 70 years and received a message from the Queen on their 70th anniversary. Joan died in 2016 after a battle with cancer at the age of 91.

David, a keen golfer, decided to leave Lanzarote, where the couple had been living, and return to Northern Ireland.

Residing in Carrickfergus, David was a familiar face at Wings Appeal stalls and other fundraising initiatives organised by the RAFA branch.

In a an earlier tribute, Wg Cdr Williams said: “He will be sadly missed by his family, RAF Association colleagues, and by the public who would have seen him at the many Wings Appeal stalls throughout the town as he raised funds for the welfare of other veterans.”

The Carrick RAFA branch chairman added that Mr Moffatt was the “beloved husband of the late Joan, father of Carol and the late Raymond, a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather and uncle.”

Warrant Officer Moffatt’s funeral service was followed by a private family committal in Roselawn Crematorium, Belfast.