The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. D E Mansfield

David Ernest Mansfield was born on 18th March 1920 and joined the RAFVR on 8th June 1939 as an Airman u/t WOp/AG.

Called up on 2nd September, he was at No. 1 Electrical and Wireless School Cranwell in early 1940.

Mansfield went to 5 B&GS for a gunnery course on 26th July 1940 and joined 236 Squadron at St. Eval on 24th August. He carried out fifty operational sorties with the squadron before his tour finished in early April 1941.

On 24th May he was posted to 2 OTU to convert to Sunderlands and was commissioned on 31st July. He joined 228 Squadron at Stranraer on 23rd December 1941. He was serving with the squadron until 5th August 1942.

Mansfield went to 14 ITW for instruction on 12th December and on 1st March 1943 was posted to the Empire Air Gunners School as an instructor. He went on a Ground Control Interception Course at Fullarton on 12th July 1944 and then as a Controller at 21 Sector and later at HQ 11 Group.

In February 1945 Mansfield was posted to the Far East and went into the Operations Room of 909 Wing.

He returned to the UK in February 1946 and was released from the RAF as a Flight Lieutenant.

Mansfield joined the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in January 1950, in the Fighter Control Branch, with 3513 Fighter Control Unit.

He was recorded as running the Cliff Close Hotel in Newquay in 1968.

He died on 8th June 2002 in Truro and is buried in St. Columb Minor Churchyard.

Above image courtesy of Angus Mansfield.