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R.A.F. 53837 Flying Officer William Michael Florance MOFFATT. (surname underlined)
Parents The Rev. & Mrs A.S. Moffatt of Sheffield, Canterbury.
Widow Mrs. W.F. Moffatt of England.

William Moffatt was born at Tapanui on the 29th September, 1915, and received his secondary education at the Cathedral Grammar School, Christchurch. He was a member of the School Cadets. At the age of sixteen he made application for a cadet apprenticeship in the Royal Air Force, and on being accepted, embarked for the United Kingdom, on the 30th June 1932.

On arrival, on the 19th August 1932, Flying Officer Moffatt was enlisted in the Royal Air Force, as an aircraft apprentice and posted to the Electrical & Wireless School, Cranwell, Lincolnshire for training, being remustered to Wireless Operator Mechanic in August 1935. He then proceeded in November of the same year to No. 58 (Bomber) Squadron, Worthy Down, and on the 4th February, 1936, to No. 209 (Flying Boat) Squadron, Felixstone, Suffolk. On the 13th October, he was posted to No. 100 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron, Seletar, Singapore, where he remained until the 2nd March 1937, and he was attached to the workshops for a period of thirteen months, returning to No. 100 Squadron on the 5th April 1938. In November Flying Officer Moffatt returned to England, and on the 23rd January, 1939 was remustered to Pilot under training, and posted to No. 2 Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School, Filton, Gloucestershire, then on the 22nd May to No. 11 Flying Training School, Shawbury F/O Moffatt was still at Shrewsbury on the outbreak of war, remaining there until October, when he proceeded to No. 11 (Fighter) Pool, St. Athan, Glamorganshire, prior to joining No. 151 (Fighter) Squadron, North Weld, Essex, and commencing operational flying in November. From this base as pilot of Hurricane aircraft he carried out numerous operational flights, on one occasion, on May the 22nd 1940, being shot down by an enemy fighter over France, and reported missing, but later was reported safe in the United Kingdom. Later in the same month he was posted to No. 605 (Fighter) Squadron, Wick, Caithness, and in October was promoted to Flight Sergeant and posted to No. 7 Flying Training School, Peterborough, Northamptonshire. In January, 1941 Flying Officer Moffatt proceeded to Canada, arriving at No. 31 Service Flying Training School, Kingston, Ontario, for staff Pilot duties on the 7th of the month. While at this Unit he was promoted to Warrant Officer on the 1st April. He was employed in this capacity until the 10th November, when he posted to the Central Flying School, Trenton, Ontario, for a Flying Instructor's Course, returning to No. 31 Service