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Michael "Bodd" Boddington

Mike Boddington
"Bodd" 1941, RAF Ibsley - Frank Howell took the photo
 

RAF   S/L

DFC,   DFM

Michael Christopher Bindloss "Bodd" Boddington
From Hawkshead Lancashire
Joined the RAFVR in December 1936
Called up to the RAF September 1st 1939
At the end of October he was transferred to the new 234 Sq.
Spent 3 weeks at 5 OTU, Aston Down, in May 1940
Posted then to 249 Squadron for only a couple weeks
Posted back to 234 Squadron for the Battle of Britain
Got his DFM 7 commission in October 1940
Posted to 118 Squadron as a flight commander in Feb. 1941
His tour ended in September 1941 & he was sent to Group HQ
Falling ill he spent 2 months in hospital
He then joined 286 Sq., an AA co-op squadron, until Sept '42
He then led 19 Squadron until November 1942
Posted to 81 Group HQ, Stroud, until March at which time
Posted to the Mediterranean & given command of 242 Sq.
He led 242 for the invasion of Sicily & Italy
242 was disbanded in Nov. 1944, his operational flying over
He later immigrated to New Guinea where he died in 1977

 

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"My father, Michael C B Boddington joined ... the RAF on September 1st 1939: he was discharged on February 12th 1946. A total of 2,679 days. Of course, he was not active throughout this time, but he saw a great deal of action, including the Battle of Britain which lasted from 10th July to 31st October 1940, during which time he was in action pretty well every day. From May 1943 until November 1944 he was in the Mediterranean theatre, North Africa, Malta, Italy and then on the drive up through France. A lot of combat.
In a list of Aces of WWII, he comes at number 128, based on the number of enemy aircraft confirmed destroyed. On 26th November 1940, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) and the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on 10th November 1943.

So he was a hero, too, and it was always important for me, as a child, youth and young man, to believe in that. I guess it was as much because my Dad’s life went slowly south after the War. I once, to my eternal shame, told him to his face that the best time of his life was the War, in the sense that it was the time that he was successful. He came back with a pot of money – and that is another story which brings him into close association with Milo Minderbinder – and it rapidly trickled through his fingers until he was left with nothing and the cancer that took him away in 1977 was a blessed relief."

excerpt from Mike's work -
"War Heroes - Thoughts on James Bradley’s Flags of Our Fathers"

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THIRD SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette Of TUESDAY, the 7th of SEPTEMBER, 1943
Published by Authority, FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER, 1943

The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy:

Distinguished Flying Cross

Acting Squadron Leader Michael Christopher Bindloss BODDINGTON, D.F.M. (88017),
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 242 Squadron

In operations against Sicily, this officer led his squadron with great skill contributing materially to the successes obtained. Within the first three days of the invasion of the island, Squadron Leader Boddington shot down three and shared in the destruction of another enemy aircraft. This officer, who has displayed fine fighting qualities, has destroyed 12 hostile aircraft.

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Boddington singing
Mike sings 'On Ilkley Moor baht 'at'. The result of a "well-oiled" bash somewhere in the MTO. Note his wings have fallen off his tunic

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Victories Include :

12 Aug 1940
14 Aug 1940
4 Sep 1940
5 Sep 1940
6 Sep 1940
28 Oct 1940
2 Nov 1940
29 Nov 1940
5 Dec 1940

15 Feb 1941

6 Jul 1943
10 Jul 1943

11 Jul 1943
15 Jul 1943
one Do215
one Ju88
two Me110s
one Me109
one Me109
one Ju88
one He111
one Ju88
one Do17

1/2 Ju88

one Me109
one He111
one Me109
1/2 Ju88
one Me110
probable
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
damaged
damaged
destroyed

damaged

damaged
destroyed &
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed

10.5 / 1 / 3.5

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Thanks go out to

son Mike for the photos & infos !

On these pages I use Hugh Halliday's extensive research which includes info from numerous sources; newspaper articles via the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC); the Google News Archives; the London Gazette Archives and other sources both published and private.

Some content on this site is probably the property of acesofww2.com unless otherwise noted.     Mail