Blog No. 305 – Cliff’s War Service at Mildenhall, 30 May 1941 to February 1944, Part 3 – 14 July 2025

My purpose is to give hope to those who have lost hope. Without hope, we remain lost in the Shadow Lands.

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In the period Cliff was officially posted to Mildenhall (30 May 1941 to 13 February 1944), Mildenhall was home base to RAF Squadrons 15 and 622.  As a tradesman at Mildenhall, Cliff’s main job was to make sure that the planes of Squadrons 15 and 622 were airworthy and able to keep flying.

This picture shows the aircrew of No.622 Squadron in June 19441, standing in front of a Lancaster bomber.  The aircrew shown in the photo are all numbered, but the names of all the aircrew shown are not fully known.  Cliff had flown at least one mission as aircrew before D Day on 6 June 1944 but I have not been able to identify Cliff in this photo.

Cliff would certainly have been able to identify all of the RAF aircrew shown in this photo.

When he served as aircrew, Cliff’s service must have been as an aircrew member of 622 Squadron.

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This picture shows the aircrew and groundcrew of William G O’Brien, No.622 Squadron, date not known.  

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This is the RAF 622 Squadron Badge.  The Latin motto under the badge says “Bellamus Noctu” – “We fight by Night”.

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This information about RAF 622 Squadron comes from https://www.themildenhallregister.co.uk/the-squadrons/622-squadron 

No. 622 Squadron was first formed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on 10 Aug 1943, equipped with Stirling Mark III bombers, and began operations on the same night. It re-equipped with Lancaster Mark III bombers in December. It operated in Bomber Command's Main Force as part of No 3 Group until April 1945 when it moved to humanitarian duties dropping food to the Dutch (Operation Manna), repatriating Prisoners of War (Operation Exodus) and ferrying troops home from Italy. The Squadron was disbanded at Mildenhall on 15 August 1945.

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This information about RAF 622 Squadron comes from https://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/622_w wII.html 

No.622 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron that formed part of Bomber Command's main force from the summer of 1943 until the end of 1945. The squadron was formed from 'C' Flight of No.15 Squadron on 10 August 1943, and flew its first operation on the very same night! No.622 Squadron's record clearly shows the higher risks of flying the Stirling. The squadron flew 195 Stirling sorties on 41 missions, losing 7 aircraft, a loss rate of 3.6%. After converting to the Lancaster it flew 227 missions and 2,805 sorties, losing 44 aircraft, a loss rate of only 1.6%. The squadron converted to the Lancaster in December 1943, so the new bomber was used during some of the hard battles early in 1944, and wasn't one of the squadron's whose Lancaster loss figures are distorted by their late entry into service. After the end of the war in Europe the squadron was used on trooping flights between Italy and the UK, before being disbanded on 15 August 1945. Aircraft August-December 1943: Short Stirling III December 1943-August 1945: Avro Lancaster I and III Location August 1943-August 1945: Mildenhall Squadron Codes: GI Duty August 1943 onwards: Main Force, Bomber Command Part of 10 August 1943 onwards: No.3 Group; Bomber Command

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Cliff stayed at Mildenhall until he was transferred to Feltwell for a very short period on 13 February 1944.  In total, he served at Mildenhall for a continuous period of 2 years, 8 months and 2 weeks at Mildenhall.

While at Mildenhall, Cliff worked on Wellington bombers, Stirling bombers and on Avro Lancaster bombers.

It is a certainty that Cliff endured experienced Luftwaffe air raids while he was at Mildenhall.

Cliff turned 21 on 25 February 1942 while stationed at Mildenhall.

Cliff turned 22 on 25 February 1943 while stationed at Mildenhall.

With effect from 1 September 1941, Cliff was promoted to Aircraftman Grade 1.

Cliff’s Service Record contains the following information about his “mustering” as at 31 December 1941.

• Cliff was an AC Grade 1 – meaning he had been promoted from the lowest possible rank to the second lowest possible rank.

• His character was again rated as Very Good.

• His trade was Coppersmith and Sheet Metal Worker.

• His “Proficiency” Satisfactory.

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Page 2 of the Service Record says that with effect from 1 March 1942, Cliff was promoted to Leading Aircraftman.  This was the equivalent of a “Leading Hand” – the grade immediately beneath a Foreman in civilian life at that time.  This was to be Cliff’s final RAF promotion.

This promotion took place shortly after Cliff had turned 21 years old.

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The Service Record contains no mustering information for 31 December 1942.

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Cliff’s Service Record gives this information about his “mustering” as at 31 December 1943.  

• He was a Leading Aircraftman– meaning he had been promoted two rungs above the lowest possible rank.

• His character was rated as Very Good.

• His trade was still Coppersmith and Sheet Metal Worker.

• His “Proficiency” was again rated as Satisfactory.

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By helping others to heal We help ourselves heal Remember those who preceded us. Give abundant Love Always

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Money cannot buy the important things needed to live.  It cannot buy courage or love.

Banish hatred from your heart. 

Bravery multiplies with use.  

We can always find courage; it is free but its value cannot be calculated.  Not one of Britain’s servicemen opposed Hitler because of a desire for money.

Those who fought Hitler while serving in the RAF were astonishingly brave – and so many of them never returned home.