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Maurice 'Flip' Moran was a member of Hornet Squadron during the early months of World War 2

In the novel[]

Described as a stubby Ulsterman, with an accent that gave his words a cutting edge, Moran served as Hornet Squadron's B Flight Commander.

After the death of Ramsay, Barton speculated about how well the squadron would perform in action. Moran responsed by stating that he expected the entire squadron to be shot down and killed within thirty seconds of encountering the enemy.

When some of the squadron pilots returned from a cross country run, Moran tested their aircraft recognition skills, using aircraft identification cards. He later gathered up the pilot's Anglo Polish glosseries, and handed them to the mess barman for safe keeping.

During the squadron's transfer to Luneville without 'Fanny' - who had to attend the inquiry into the Battle of Southend Sands, and then recieve treatment for bad earache - Moran was left in command, while Rex and Kellaway spent a week searching for a suitable airfield.[1]

Moran was the second person Fanny met when he rejoind Hornet Squadron. Shortly afterwards, Moran made a complaint to Kellaway, about Rex's dog Reilly using people as lamposts.

When the squadron visited Montornet, Moran briefly examined a Potez bomber, before dismissing it as very vulnerable compared to the Blenheim, a view he maintained following a mock dogfight. A sshort time later, Flip and Sticky went on leave, returning just before 'Dicky Starr's death.[2]

During his first meeting with CH3, Moran revealed his Uncle Fergus once owned a boat named the Kate NcGrath the Forth, which sank.

While on a squadron visit to Strasbourg, which took place while Rex was on a week's leave, Moran was sent to find Stickwell, who had dissappered just before lunch. Moran later participated in Rex's survival excercise.[3]

Following an attack by B Flight against a Heinkel He-111, the windscreen on Moran's aircraft was smeared with the blood of the Heinkel's upper gunner.[4]

Moran was part of the group sent to collect Stickwell's aircraft, following the latter's unauthorised flight.[5]

wshen Nugent and McPhee were shot down, Moran informed Rex that 'Mother' Cox had seen the entire incident, only for Rex to dismiss the report, claiming that Cox couldn't see straight due to his recent concussion, also rejecting Moran's suggestion of having the aircraft fitted with back armour. During an escort mission, one of the wing's of Moran's aircraft was perforated, causing it to vibrate during turns.[6]

Following the withdrawal from France, Moran spent a period of leave in Ulster, before joining the reformed Hornet Squadron at Brambledown. One of his first tasks was to conduct an evaluation of Haducek, after telling the latter about the Battle of Southend Sands.

When 'Mother' Cox, 'Moggy' Cattermole, 'Flash' Gordon, 'Fitz' Fitzgerald and 'Pip' Patterson were promoted to the rank of Flying Officer, Moran described the promotions as the biggest mass accident in the history of aviation. Later that month, he remarked how the Luftwaffe had seaplanes to rescue pilots in the Channel, but the RAF didn't. Later that month, Moran warned his fellow pilots to be sure of their aircraft identifcation, due to the 109s similarity to both the Spitfire and Hurricane. He also advised them not to let down their guard until they were safely down on the airfield, citing the experience of a pilot who was bounced when he was ten seconds from touching down at Marston.

Moran was later killed when, while attempting to protect Verrier, he was badly burnet, after his aircraft was blassted by cannon fire from a Messerschmitt Bf 110. The extensive damage to his body led to his coffin being secreatly bulked out with sandbags, and then sealed, to the dismay of Mr and Mrs Burnett, when they arrived for the funeral. His position as B Flight commander passed to 'Mother' Cox.[7]

Notes[]

  1. Their exact relationship to Flip is not explicitly stated, but they are likely to be the pilot's maternal Uncle and Aunt.

Sources[]

  1. Piece of Cake September 1939
  2. Piece of Cake October 1939
  3. November 1939
  4. December 1939
  5. January 1940
  6. May 1940
  7. August 1940
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