John Freeborn
Encyclopedia
Wing Commander
John Connell Freeborn (1 December 1919 – 28 August 2010) DFC*
was a World War II
RAF pilot. He was not only an ace
but also held the distinction of having flown more operational hours than any other RAF pilot during the Battle of Britain
.
within the city's ring-road, then an area of open farmland.
His father Harold was a branch manager with the Yorkshire Penny Bank (now Yorkshire Bank
), and he was something of a disciplinarian at home. Freeborn remembered that his mother Jean (née Connell) was a stern woman, saying 'I never saw her smile'. He had five siblings, two sisters and three brothers.
They moved to Headingley
when Freeborn was still an infant. He later attended Leeds Grammar School
and, although a bright and confident pupil, his dislike of petty authority made him glad to leave as soon as possible.
Later, during the war, he borrowed a Gloster Gauntlet
and flew up to revisit his alma mater, giving an aerobatic display before landing on the school cricket pitch. Freeborn described the irony of having the masters who, only a few years earlier, had berated and beat him telling a new crop of pupils what a shining example he was.
He joined the RAF on a short service commission in January 1938. In training, he was flying solo after only 4 hours 20 minutes logged flight time, a little over half the average; his accuracy at firing whilst in the air was more than twice the average. He initially flew Gloster Gauntlets, but in October 1938 he joined 74 Squadron, and from February 1939 flew Spitfires.
In July 1939 Freeborn was one of the 74 Squadron pilots to fly Spitfires to France to celebrate Bastille Day with the French Air Force.
- a tragic misunderstanding during which two No. 56 Squadron
Hurricanes
were intercepted and shot down by aircraft from 74 Squadron, thereby becoming the first aircraft destroyed by a Spitfire. John shot down the aircraft of Pilot Officer Montague Hulton-Harrop who did not survive, becoming the first RAF pilot to die in World War II.
Freeborn felt that his Commanding Officer, Sailor Malan, tried to evade responsibility for the attack. At the ensuing court martial, Malan testified for the prosecution against his own pilots, stating that Freeborn had been irresponsible, impetuous, and had not taken proper heed of vital communications. During the trial, Freeborn's counsel, Sir Patrick Hastings
, called Malan 'a bare-faced liar!'.
Though the court exonerated Freeborn completely, he regretted the death of Hulton-Harrop for the rest of his life. In 2009 he said, "I think about him nearly every day. I always have done... I've had a good life, and he should have had a good life too."
Whilst their working relationship continued to be professional and exceptionally effective, the case left a strained personal relationship between Freeborn and Malan. It is noteworthy that Malan did not recommend Freeborn for either of his subsequent medals. On Malan's departure in March 1941, Freeborn was not given command despite being eminently capable and far more experienced than the man who did take over.
's escape. The 74 Squadron was there for six days from 21–27 May 1940. During that time they scored 19 confirmed kills - two of them Freeborn's - and 10 probable kills, with only four losses.
During one action his engine was hit by return fire from a Junkers Ju 88
and crashlanded in France. Evading the advancing German troops, at one point pinned down by machine-gun fire hiding in a cemetery, he walked for several days to Calais. Once there, a Blenheim
took him back to England.
On one day alone, 11 August 1940, the squadron flew into battle four times in eight hours, destroying 23 enemy aircraft – three by Freeborn (2 Bf 110s and a Bf 109) - and damaging 14 more. That evening, back at base in Hornchurch
, Winston Churchill personally congratulated the squadron and their ground crew.
On 13 August he claimed a Dornier Do 17, but was shot down again, although he wasn't hurt.
Freeborn's accomplished flying not only made him an ace, but an ace during the Battle of Britain itself, with seven confirmed kills, and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 13 August 1940 and promoted to command a flight on 28 August. His DFC citation said:
This officer has taken part in nearly all offensive patrols carried out by his squadron since the commencement of the war, including operations over the Low Countries and Dunkirk, and, more recently, engagements over the Channel and southeastern England. During this period of intensive air warfare he has destroyed four enemy aircraft. His high courage and exceptional abilities as a leader have materially contributed to the notable successes and high standard of efficiency maintained by his squadron.
His portrait was drawn by war artist Cuthbert Orde
in August 1940.
He claimed another Do 17 on 11 September, and a share in a JG 27 Bf 109 on 17 November. By the end of November he had been with his squadron longer than any other Battle of Britain pilot and had flown more operational hours.
Three Bf 109s (and one shared) were claimed on 5 December.
This officer has continuously engaged in operations since the beginning of the war. He has destroyed at least twelve enemy aircraft and damaged many more. He is a keen and courageous leader.
In June 1941 he was posted to No 57 OTU (Operational Training Unit) at RAF Hawarden, training pilots from overseas to fly Spitfires.
Following American entry into the war at the end of 1941, Freeborn was posted to the United States. He trained pilots at bases in Alabama, then moved on to test piloting new aircraft, including the P-47 Thunderbolt (which he hated), the P-51 Mustang, P-38 Lightning, B-17 Flying Fortress and A-20 Havoc.
In December 1942 he returned to the UK and served as a flight commander with 602 Squadron
flying Spitfires. He flew escort operations to bombers attacking German shipping and installations on the French and Dutch coasts.
In June 1943 he joined 118 Squadron
as commanding officer, again flying Spitfires. This only lasted three months before the squadron moved to Scotland for less-confrontational patrolling and training duties.
In June 1944 Freeborn was promoted to become the RAF's youngest Wing Commander Flying, commanding 286 Wing based at Grottaglie in southern Italy. This was a period of frenetic activity, attacking German installations and convoys in the Balkans and defending Allied ones in Italy.
In December 1944 he was posted to RAF Netheravon. Believing the post-war RAF to be 'run by nincompoops,' he resigned with honour and distinction in 1946. He had flown 42 different aircraft in his eight years.
Freeborn was always an outspoken and forthright man, and never held back from expressing his opinion even when it was as iconoclastic as disliking Sailor Malan. He also had somewhat hostile views about another of the pre-eminent war heroes he flew with, Douglas Bader
, telling one author "He was not universally popular with his comrades, he made me sick. I’ve never met such a self-opinionated fool in all my life."
Although popular as an interviewee and event guest, for many years he shied away from committing his story to more lasting record. He relented to talk at length to military historian Bob Cossey, which led to the biography of his military career, A Tiger's Tale, in 2002. This, in turn, gave rise to Tiger Cub, Freeborn's own account of his time in 74 Squadron, which he co-authored with Christopher Yeoman and published in 2009.
He died peacefully in Southport and Formby Hospital on 28 August 2010.
,) and they had one daughter, Julia. Rita died in 1979. John married his second wife, Margaret Ena (known as Peta) Thomas, in 1983. She died in 2001.
An additional 3.3 unconfirmed kills are attributed to him:
(Source for all combat record: Aces High - A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in World War II)
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
John Connell Freeborn (1 December 1919 – 28 August 2010) DFC*
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
was a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
RAF pilot. He was not only an ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
but also held the distinction of having flown more operational hours than any other RAF pilot during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
.
Early life
He was born in Middleton, these days a suburb of LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
within the city's ring-road, then an area of open farmland.
His father Harold was a branch manager with the Yorkshire Penny Bank (now Yorkshire Bank
Yorkshire Bank
Yorkshire Bank is a commercial bank in England and Wales, a division of Clydesdale Bank, which in turn is a subsidiary of National Australia Bank. It mostly operates in the North of England, especially in Yorkshire. In 2006 underlying profit rose 16.7 per cent to £454 million compared with a...
), and he was something of a disciplinarian at home. Freeborn remembered that his mother Jean (née Connell) was a stern woman, saying 'I never saw her smile'. He had five siblings, two sisters and three brothers.
They moved to Headingley
Headingley
Headingley is a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road...
when Freeborn was still an infant. He later attended Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School was an independent school in Leeds established in 1552. In August 2005 it merged with Leeds Girls' High School to form The Grammar School at Leeds. The two schools physically united in September 2008....
and, although a bright and confident pupil, his dislike of petty authority made him glad to leave as soon as possible.
Later, during the war, he borrowed a Gloster Gauntlet
Gloster Gauntlet
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Crawford, Alex. Bristol Bulldog, Gloster Gauntlet. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2005. ISBN 83-89450-04-6....
and flew up to revisit his alma mater, giving an aerobatic display before landing on the school cricket pitch. Freeborn described the irony of having the masters who, only a few years earlier, had berated and beat him telling a new crop of pupils what a shining example he was.
He joined the RAF on a short service commission in January 1938. In training, he was flying solo after only 4 hours 20 minutes logged flight time, a little over half the average; his accuracy at firing whilst in the air was more than twice the average. He initially flew Gloster Gauntlets, but in October 1938 he joined 74 Squadron, and from February 1939 flew Spitfires.
In July 1939 Freeborn was one of the 74 Squadron pilots to fly Spitfires to France to celebrate Bastille Day with the French Air Force.
The Battle of Barking Creek
On 6 September 1939 he took part in an action later to be called the Battle of Barking CreekBattle of Barking Creek
The Battle of Barking Creek was a friendly fire incident that happened on 6 September 1939, resulting in the first death of a British fighter pilot in the Second World War.-Incident:...
- a tragic misunderstanding during which two No. 56 Squadron
No. 56 Squadron RAF
Number 56 Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons of the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both World War I and World War II...
Hurricanes
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
were intercepted and shot down by aircraft from 74 Squadron, thereby becoming the first aircraft destroyed by a Spitfire. John shot down the aircraft of Pilot Officer Montague Hulton-Harrop who did not survive, becoming the first RAF pilot to die in World War II.
Freeborn felt that his Commanding Officer, Sailor Malan, tried to evade responsibility for the attack. At the ensuing court martial, Malan testified for the prosecution against his own pilots, stating that Freeborn had been irresponsible, impetuous, and had not taken proper heed of vital communications. During the trial, Freeborn's counsel, Sir Patrick Hastings
Patrick Hastings
Sir Patrick Gardiner Hastings KC was a British barrister and politician noted for his long and highly successful career as a barrister and his short stint as Attorney General. He was educated at Charterhouse School until 1896, when his family moved to continental Europe...
, called Malan 'a bare-faced liar!'.
Though the court exonerated Freeborn completely, he regretted the death of Hulton-Harrop for the rest of his life. In 2009 he said, "I think about him nearly every day. I always have done... I've had a good life, and he should have had a good life too."
Whilst their working relationship continued to be professional and exceptionally effective, the case left a strained personal relationship between Freeborn and Malan. It is noteworthy that Malan did not recommend Freeborn for either of his subsequent medals. On Malan's departure in March 1941, Freeborn was not given command despite being eminently capable and far more experienced than the man who did take over.
Dunkirk
His first taste of enemy action was over Dunkirk covering the British Expeditionary ForceBritish Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
's escape. The 74 Squadron was there for six days from 21–27 May 1940. During that time they scored 19 confirmed kills - two of them Freeborn's - and 10 probable kills, with only four losses.
During one action his engine was hit by return fire from a Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
and crashlanded in France. Evading the advancing German troops, at one point pinned down by machine-gun fire hiding in a cemetery, he walked for several days to Calais. Once there, a Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
took him back to England.
The Battle of Britain
Freeborn fought throughout the Battle of Britain as part of 74 Squadron. On 10 July he claimed a Bf 109 of JG 51 and on 24 July shared a Do-17 'unconfirmed'. Another Bf 109 was claimed on 28 July.On one day alone, 11 August 1940, the squadron flew into battle four times in eight hours, destroying 23 enemy aircraft – three by Freeborn (2 Bf 110s and a Bf 109) - and damaging 14 more. That evening, back at base in Hornchurch
RAF Hornchurch
RAF Hornchurch was an airfield in the south of Hornchurch in what is now the London Borough of Havering. Known as Sutton's Farm during the First World War, it occupied of the farm of the same name and was situated east north-east of Charing Cross...
, Winston Churchill personally congratulated the squadron and their ground crew.
On 13 August he claimed a Dornier Do 17, but was shot down again, although he wasn't hurt.
Freeborn's accomplished flying not only made him an ace, but an ace during the Battle of Britain itself, with seven confirmed kills, and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 13 August 1940 and promoted to command a flight on 28 August. His DFC citation said:
This officer has taken part in nearly all offensive patrols carried out by his squadron since the commencement of the war, including operations over the Low Countries and Dunkirk, and, more recently, engagements over the Channel and southeastern England. During this period of intensive air warfare he has destroyed four enemy aircraft. His high courage and exceptional abilities as a leader have materially contributed to the notable successes and high standard of efficiency maintained by his squadron.
His portrait was drawn by war artist Cuthbert Orde
Cuthbert Orde
Captain Cuthbert Julian Orde was an artist and First World War pilot. He is best known for his war art, especially his portraits of Allied Battle of Britain pilots.-Family background:...
in August 1940.
He claimed another Do 17 on 11 September, and a share in a JG 27 Bf 109 on 17 November. By the end of November he had been with his squadron longer than any other Battle of Britain pilot and had flown more operational hours.
Three Bf 109s (and one shared) were claimed on 5 December.
Later War
He received a second Distinguished Flying Cross in February 1941. The citation said:This officer has continuously engaged in operations since the beginning of the war. He has destroyed at least twelve enemy aircraft and damaged many more. He is a keen and courageous leader.
In June 1941 he was posted to No 57 OTU (Operational Training Unit) at RAF Hawarden, training pilots from overseas to fly Spitfires.
Following American entry into the war at the end of 1941, Freeborn was posted to the United States. He trained pilots at bases in Alabama, then moved on to test piloting new aircraft, including the P-47 Thunderbolt (which he hated), the P-51 Mustang, P-38 Lightning, B-17 Flying Fortress and A-20 Havoc.
In December 1942 he returned to the UK and served as a flight commander with 602 Squadron
No. 602 Squadron RAF
No 602 Squadron is a Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron. Originally formed in 1925 as a light bomber squadron, its role changed in 1938 to army co-operation and in 1939 to that of a fighter squadron....
flying Spitfires. He flew escort operations to bombers attacking German shipping and installations on the French and Dutch coasts.
In June 1943 he joined 118 Squadron
No. 118 Squadron RAF
Formed at Catterick, North Yorkshire, on 1 January 1918 as a heavy night bomber unit, No. 118 Squadron never saw service in World War I and was disbanded again on 7 September 1918....
as commanding officer, again flying Spitfires. This only lasted three months before the squadron moved to Scotland for less-confrontational patrolling and training duties.
In June 1944 Freeborn was promoted to become the RAF's youngest Wing Commander Flying, commanding 286 Wing based at Grottaglie in southern Italy. This was a period of frenetic activity, attacking German installations and convoys in the Balkans and defending Allied ones in Italy.
In December 1944 he was posted to RAF Netheravon. Believing the post-war RAF to be 'run by nincompoops,' he resigned with honour and distinction in 1946. He had flown 42 different aircraft in his eight years.
Freeborn was always an outspoken and forthright man, and never held back from expressing his opinion even when it was as iconoclastic as disliking Sailor Malan. He also had somewhat hostile views about another of the pre-eminent war heroes he flew with, Douglas Bader
Douglas Bader
Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL was a Royal Air Force fighter ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 20 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged.Bader joined the...
, telling one author "He was not universally popular with his comrades, he made me sick. I’ve never met such a self-opinionated fool in all my life."
After the War
Freeborn qualified as a driving instructor, but soon joined Tetley Walker to serve as Regional Director for their Minster Minerals soft drinks brand. He took early retirement and in the early 1980s he moved to Spain, but later returned to the UK.Although popular as an interviewee and event guest, for many years he shied away from committing his story to more lasting record. He relented to talk at length to military historian Bob Cossey, which led to the biography of his military career, A Tiger's Tale, in 2002. This, in turn, gave rise to Tiger Cub, Freeborn's own account of his time in 74 Squadron, which he co-authored with Christopher Yeoman and published in 2009.
He died peacefully in Southport and Formby Hospital on 28 August 2010.
Personal life
John married Rita Fielder in early 1944 (she broke off her previous engagement to John's cousin after seeing a picture of John in the Yorkshire PostYorkshire Post
The Yorkshire Post is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by Yorkshire Post Newspapers, a company owned by Johnston Press...
,) and they had one daughter, Julia. Rita died in 1979. John married his second wife, Margaret Ena (known as Peta) Thomas, in 1983. She died in 2001.
Combat record
| Date | Flying | Location | Kills | Probables | Damaged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 May 40 | Spitfire I | 10m N Calais Calais Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras.... |
1 * Junkers Ju 88 Junkers Ju 88 The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early... |
||
| 27 May 40 | Spitfire I | 5m from Dunkirk | 1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109 Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s... |
||
| 10 July 40 | Spitfire I | 2m E Deal, Kent Deal, Kent Deal is a town in Kent England. It lies on the English Channel eight miles north-east of Dover and eight miles south of Ramsgate. It is a former fishing, mining and garrison town... |
1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109 | ||
| 28 July 40 | Spitfire I | Dover Dover Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings... |
1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109 | ||
| 11 Aug 40 | Spitfire I | Dover Dover Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings... ; 30m E Harwich Harwich Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south... ; off Margate Margate -Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity.... |
2 * Messerschmitt Bf 110 Messerschmitt Bf 110 The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten... 1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109 |
1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109 | |
| 13 Aug 40 | Spitfire I | Thames Estuary Thames Estuary The Thames Mouth is the estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea.It is not easy to define the limits of the estuary, although physically the head of Sea Reach, near Canvey Island on the Essex shore is probably the western boundary... off Birchington |
1 * Dornier Do 17 Dornier Do 17 The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke... |
||
| 11 Sept 40 | Spitfire I | SE London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
1 * Dornier Do 17 | ||
| 14 Sept 40 | Spitfire I | Lowestoft Lowestoft Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich... |
0.3 * Heinkel He 111 Heinkel He 111 The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium... |
||
| 17 Nov 40 | Spitfire II | Nr Brighton Brighton Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain... |
0.5 * Messerschmitt Bf 109 | ||
| 5 Dec 40 | Spitfire II | 10-15m off Dungeness; 10m Boulogne; Nr Dover Dover Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings... |
2.5 * Messerschmitt Bf 109 | 1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109 | |
| 5 Feb 41 | Spitfire II P7366 | S Dover Dover Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings... |
0.25 * Dornier Do 17 | ||
| 4 Mar 41 | Spitfire II | 15m N Dunkirk | 0.5 * Messerschmitt Bf 109 | ||
| TOTAL | 11 kills, 2 shared | 1 probable | 5 damaged | ||
An additional 3.3 unconfirmed kills are attributed to him:
- 21 May 1940, 1 * Junkers Ju 88, near Dunkirk
- 24 May 1940, 1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109, near Dunkirk
- 27 May 1940, 1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109, near Dunkirk
- 24 July 1940, 0.3 * Messerschmitt Bf 109, off Dover
(Source for all combat record: Aces High - A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in World War II)
External links
- Spitfire pilot John Freeborn's story, The One Show, BBC 3 September 2009
- North Weald Airfield History: Battle of Barking Creek
- The South East Echo Archive: John Freeborn
- Interview with Air & Space magazine, 2004
- 74 Squadron Association