Warrant Officer James Francisco Moran
- Rank
- Warrant Officer
- Service number
- 415168
- Unit
- Royal Australian Air Force 466 Squadron
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Harlingen, Netherlands
- Date of death
- 20 February 1944
- Age
- 24
- Plaque number
- L109A
- Co-located plaques
- L109 - PLTOFF Colin Tozer
- Dedicated by
- Family on 15 February 2014
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Warrant Officer James Francisco Moran was born at Kalgoorlie in October 1919. He was one of five sons and five daughters of James and Bertha Moran of Wagin, where they had the local hotel.
James attended Wagin convent and Christian Brothers College in St George’s Terrace. He was a keen sportsman, playing football and cricket.
After completing his schooling, he commenced farming in the Wagin district.
James enlisted in Perth, July 1941, and trained at Cunderdin and Geraldton flying Tiger Moths, de Havilland 82’s and Avro Ansons. He gained his flying badge in April.
He then went to England in May 1943 and was stationed at Bournemouth, flying Airspeed Oxfords before going to 27 Operational Training Unit at Lichfield, flying Wellington bombers.
James’ next posting was to 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor in November 1943, where he learned to fly Halifax bombers.
Then, in January 1944, he was posted to 466 Squadron which was an RAAF squadron serving with the British Bomber Command operating from Leconfield, Yorkshire.
He was the pilot of Halifax Bomber LV781 which went on a night raid to Leipzig and was shot down by German night fighters and crashed in the North Sea near Harlingen, Holland.
Warrant Officer James Francisco Moran, service number 415168 of 466 Squadron, was killed in action near Harlingen on 20 February 1944. He was 24 years of age.