John William Charlton Moffat was a member of the Royal Naval Air Force's 818 Flying Squadron, and he and his comrades struck a crucial blow that would break the bismarck's leg during the Rhine exercise.
818 Flying Squadron Crest
John's father, Peter, served in the RAF during World War I and qualified as a logistics aeronautical engineer in the Royal Navy in 1914. He was the first pilot to complete a take-off from a ship in the voyage, Charles W. Bush. Samson served in the Second Royal Naval Air Force, where he was transferred to the seaplane carrier Ark Royal and fought in the Battle of Gallipoli. Peter retired in 1918 and married Moffat's mother, Mary.
Charles S. Samson, the first pilot to complete a takeoff from the ship
Born in Swinton, on the Scottish border, John Moffat moved to Elston with his parents during his childhood. In 1929, John happened to meet an Aphro 504 passing by Kelso and spent 10 shillings to get the pilot to take him for a spin. He described the flight as a "startling" experience that gave him a glimpse into a world he had never seen before. The experience sparked John's interest in flying, although he had no intention of joining the army at this time.
Aphrodite 504 aircraft
John completed his basic education at Kyle's High School and enrolled at the University of Edinburgh after graduation. However, affected by the economic crisis of 1929, he could not afford to pay the high tuition fees and did not apply for a scholarship. He had to join the bus company at the age of 16 and earn some extra money by playing music at weddings. He was dissatisfied with his work, but was forced to continue to do so in order to make ends meet. Things took a turn for the worse, and he saw a poster about recruiting naval pilots, which assured him that he would receive a stable salary during his training. John had never thought of piloting as his profession before, because he had thought that this job was far beyond the ability of ordinary people. At this point, he seized the opportunity and issued an application to the Royal Naval Aviation Corps.
The emblem of the Royal Naval Aviation Corps
However, John did not receive an immediate response, and he moved to London and tried to get a job at the Rhodesian police headquarters in London. He was again refused, but at the same time he received a notice from the Royal Navy that he could be offered a part-time job in the reserves. John agreed without hesitation and was ordered to report on the USS Frobich at Portsmouth.
Hawkins-class cruiser USS Flobischer
The day after Britain declared war on Germany, John was recalled from leave and sent to St. Vincent's Barracks in Gosport, where he entered a flight school in Belfast in November. In 1940, John completed his pilot training and joined Squadron 759 stationed in Eastleigh. The squadron later took part in the Battle of Millskbier aboard the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, but John himself did not accompany the group for unknown reasons. In the autumn of 1940, Moffat joined Squadron 818 and returned to the Ark Royal.
Ark Royale with Swordfish of Squadron 820
After Bismarck sank Hood and Churchill gave the order to "sink Bismarck", the Royal Ark and the attack aircraft formation above joined the hunt for Bismarck as part of the H Fleet. On the night of 26 May 1941, Ark Royal carried out a torpedo airstrike with the aim of forcing Bismarck to slow down.
At 9:05 p.m., Moffat and his observer Dust Miller, communicator and machine gunner A.J. Hayman joined the siege of Bismarck with a Swordfish torpedo bomber and 14 other friendly aircraft. They braved the anti-aircraft fire of Bismarck to drop torpedoes, one of which hit the middle of the hull, causing damage to the surface structure on the starboard side. The torpedo of Moffat's crew hit Bismarck's rudder and destroyed the control component of the rudder, causing the "Bismarck" course to get out of control. The British H Fleet and home fleet seized the opportunity to catch up and launch an attack, and Bismarck was sunk at around 10 a.m. the next day (27 May).
Painting depicting swordfish bombing the Bismarck
A newspaper headline with the headline "The Great Vengeance Has Been Repaid, The Last Moment of bismarck"
In 1946, John left the Royal Naval Aviation corps and returned to Glasgow, where he obtained a degree in hospitality management at a local university. He did not fly any more after leaving the army until he boarded the plane again at the age of 60. In June 2009, he celebrated his 90th birthday by flying a light aircraft to perform stunts. In 2010, his book I Sank Bismarck, which he co-authored with McCrossett, was successfully published. John William Charlton Moffat died on December 11, 2016, at the age of 97.
Cover of the book I Sank Bismarck
Moffat was reunited with a Swordfish in 2008
In 2010, Moffat boarded the Ark Royal as a guest of honor