Blog No. 310 – More information about Cliff in Bomber Command, 1944/ 1945, Part 1 – 20 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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This photo is from wiki.  The wiki description says “RAF Methwold on a target dossier of the German Luftwaffe, 1940”.

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This photo is from wiki.  The wiki description says “Lancasters 149 Squadron Methwold”.

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This photo is from wiki; the wiki description says “Members of 487 Squadron RNZAF posing with a Ventura bomber”.

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On the 23rd of February 1945, the 6th year of WW 2, Cliff had his 24th birthday.

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With effect from 3 September 1944 Cliff was given a pay increase for having completed 3 years of war service with the RAF.  It was nearly one whole year late.  Cliff completed 3 years of war service on the 27th of September 1943.  The Service Record does not reveal whether Cliff was given any back pay.  My guess is that Cliff had to remind the RAF that his wage increase was long overdue.

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Cliff received another pay increase on  the 28th of September 1944 when he completed his 4th year of war service.

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Cliff never did receive a war service increment for having 5 completed years of war service.  The war against Hitler ended in May 1945 and Victory in Europe Day was celebrated on the 8th of May 1945.  The war against Japan [VJ Day] ended on the 2nd of September 1945.  When VJ Day arrived, Cliff was only 25 days short of his 5 completed years of war service.

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The Service Record shows that after his second posting to Feltwell, Cliff was sent to Methwold on the 1st of August 1944.  The Methwold posting lasted until the 1st of March 1945 – precisely 7 months.

It is possible Cliff reverted to performance of his official ground crew duties as a tradesman during his stay at Methwold, but he may not have done this.

It is equally possible that Cliff continued to be a member of the RAF Feltwell staff who provided flying training.  I think it is likely Cliff became part of Methwold Branch of No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School – Avro Lancaster, but operating under the designation RAF 3 Flying Training School.

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RAF Methwold is described this way in wiki.

RAF Methwold opened as a dispersal airfield for RAF Feltwell in the Winter of 1938. Vickers Wellington bombers from Feltwell continued to use the site as a satellite base until the grass airfield was transferred to No. 2 Group in the exchange of bases with No. 3 Group, in the summer of 1942. Several asphalt hardstandings were put down for aircraft during 1940-1941. In August 1943 the airfield was closed to flying while it was upgraded to A standard. Three concrete runways were built, the main aligned on 06-24 (2,000 yards), 11-29 (1,600 yards) and 17-35 (1,500 yards). 36 hardstandings were built, 35 of the loop type and a single pan. The original asphalt pans were not retained. Following this work, RAF Methwold was a higher standard base than its parent at Feltwell. The airfield was returned to No. 3 Group and became a sub-station of RAF Mildenhall. 43 aircraft either failed to return or crashed during the operations from RAF Methwold; 25 Venturas, 6 Stirlings, and 12 Lancasters.

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The aircraft which operated out of Methwold:

• Vickers Wellington;

• Lockheed Ventura;

• Short Stirling;

• Avro Lancaster;

• Airspeed Horsa;

• North American Harvard

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The Squadrons which operated out of Methwold were as follows:

• RAF 37 Squadron (1939);

• RAF 214 Squadron (1939);

• RAF 21 Squadron (1942-1943);

• RAAF 464 Squadron (1942);

• RNZAF 487 Squadron (1942);

• RAF 149 Squadron (1937 to 1942);

• RAF 218 Squadron RAF;

• RAF 207 Squadron.

• RAF 320 (Netherlands) Squadron (1943);

• RAF 3 Flying Training School.

• RAF 3 Service Flying Training School;

• RAF 21 Heavy Glider Maintenance Section.

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RAF 3 Flying Training School and RAF 3 Service Flying Training School were not the only squadrons at Methwold that were involved in flying training, but I think it is likely that while he was stationed at Methwold, Cliff was attached to either RAF 3 Flying Training School or RAF 3 Service Flying Training School.  Methwold was a subsidiary airfield to Feltwell and Feltwell was definitely the home of No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School – Avro Lancaster.

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It was while Cliff was stationed at Methwold that he took part in the air raids on Dresden from 13 February to 15 February 1945.

I will talk more about the Dresden air raids in the next Blog.

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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.