I'm raising £5000 to create a memorial in Halifax to honour the life and bravery of Mne David Moffatt RM. The Halifax Cockleshell Hero.
Organised by David Moffatt
Story
Please help us create a memorial in Halifax to honour the life and bravery of Mne David Moffatt RM, who grew up in Halifax and went on to become one of the courageous commandos involved in the Operation Frankton Raid of 1942.
Mne Moffatt, like many of his comrades, risked his life in extraordinary circumstances during World War II, playing a pivotal role in one of the most daring and heroic missions of the war. His actions, alongside those of his fellow commandos, were a testament to the courage and determination that helped shape the outcome of the war.
Mne David Moffatt’s life was cut short, but his legacy has lived on in our hearts and through the stories passed down by our family. As his relatives, we are committed to ensuring that future generations understand the extraordinary sacrifices made by Mne Moffatt and his comrades.
This memorial will not only honour our uncle David, but also commemorate the bravery of all the men involved in the raid. It is an important step in preserving their memory, and ensuring their heroism is never forgotten, especially in the town where David’s journey began.
We invite you to join us in this important cause. Your contribution, no matter how small, will help us achieve our goal of raising £5,000 to bring this project to life.
Thank you for your support in helping us create a lasting tribute to our uncle Mne David Moffatt RM and to all the brave commandos of the Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment, the forerunner of the Special Boat Service, who served in Operation Frankton.
With heartfelt gratitude
David Moffatt and the Moffatt family
On November 20th 1942, Marine David Moffatt spent his 22nd birthday on the submarine depot ship, HMS Forth, in Holy Loch, Scotland. On the morning of 30th November, the Royal Navy submarine ‘Tuna’ sailed from Holy Loch down the Firth of Clyde bound for the coast of France, 800 miles away. Aboard were thirteen men of the Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment. One of them was Marine David Moffatt. Operation Frankton, a clandestine mission to raid ships in the German occupied French port of Bordeaux, had begun.
Marine David Moffatt did not return. His cockle, ‘Conger’, capsized in a deadly tide race. He died of hypothermia in the icy waters of the Bay of Biscay sometime during the early morning of 8th December, age 22. His family thought he was safe, training, in Portsmouth. On 17th December 1942, the body of a young man dressed in camouflage uniform was found on Gros Joncs beach, Ile de Re, some 70 miles from the mouth of the Gironde river. A red identity tag hanging on a cord read ‘PLY - X108881 Mne Moffatt. D-o-B 20-11-20’. "They buried David Moffatt in an unmarked grave in the ridge of dunes behind the beach, as they did all the many unclaimed bodies washed up on this stretch of beach during the war. He lies there somewhere, still”. "A Brilliant little Operation" Paddy Ashdown. Courtesy Aurum Press
Admiral Lord Mountbatten wrote afterwards of Operation Frankton: "Of the many brave and dashing raids carried out by men of Combined Operations Command, none was more courageous or imaginative than Operation Frankton". Winston Churchill said that the raid shortened the war by 6 months.
