After studying physics and chemistry at University College Cardiff, he won his first senior international cap in 1939 against Scotland.
While navigating an SOE operation to Crete his plane crash landed in the sea after the engines failed.
Manfield and three other crewmen survived at sea for two days before being picked up by a motor torpedo boat.
On 4 April 1943, Manfield was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his work in a Special Operations Unit.
He left 282 Wing Cairo in 1945 and returned to Britain as a course commander at the Empire Air Navigation School in Shawbury.