Francis Henry Moynihan was born 1920 in Birmingham, son of Thaddeus John and Maud Emmaline Moynihan.

F/O Moynihan was a navigator on a Halifax bomber with 51 squadron.

Not much is known about F/O Moynihan and his crew. On 22 November 1943 they took off at 1704 from RAF Snaith in Halifax II LW286-LK-H for a mission to Berlin. It was the second raid in what would become known as the Battle for Berlin.

51 Squadron RAF
 

No less than 764 bombers were sent out against the German capital this night. The attack started at 20.00 when pathfinders dropped their markers over the city.

F/O Moynihan's crew consisted of the following members:

P/O Horace F. Farley
F/O Francis H. Moynihan
F/O Harry O. Hetterley
Sgt Alfred B. Springett
Sgt Samuel H. Godfrey
Sgt Edward H. G. Dyer
Sgt John E. Whitehead

The flight path took them over the Dutch island of Texel, the IJsselmeer and Northern Netherlands. They were most probably either hit by flak over Texel or intercepted by a night fighter, as their Halifax crashed in the IJsselmeer between Urk and Hindelopen. The whole crew perished.

Three of the crew's bodies were recovered. The rest are commemorated at the Runnymede Memorial. Sgt Springett's body was recovered and buried at Hindelopen. Sgt Dyer is buried at Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery. F/O Francis Moyniham is buried at Lemmer General Cemetery, Plot C. Row 8. Grave 222.

(picture courtesy of Mrs Elise Robinson)

 

(picture by Wim Bastiaanse)

Lemmer, The Netherlands

See Also:
P/O Horace F. Farley
F/O Harry O. Hetterley
Sgt Alfred B. Springett
Sgt Samuel H. Godfrey
Sgt Edward H. G. Dyer
Sgt John E. Whitehead

Request:
Elise Robinson is searching for information regarding F/O Moynihan, his crew or the mission. Anyone who has additional information is kindly asked to contact the webmaster.

Sources:
Mrs. Elise Robinson
Ab Jansen, Gevleugeld Verleden, Forum ny
Alan Cooper, Bombers Over Berlin, Wellingborough 1989
CWGC

Acknowledgements:
RAF Squadron crest © Crown Copyright is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office

Directions to Lemmer General Cemetery

Posted 18 November 2005

If you have any suggestions, comments or additional information, please contact me.

This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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