John Freeborn

John Connell Freeborn, (1 December 1919 – 28 August 2010) was a fighter pilot and flying ace in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

He joined the RAF on a short service commission in January 1938.

In training, he was flying solo after 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.

Commissioned as an acting pilot officer on probation on 26 March 1938 he initially flew Gloster Gauntlets, but in October 1938 he joined 74 Squadron, and from February 1939 flew Spitfires.

In 1939, he shot down another RAF fighter in a friendly-fire incident that marked the first death of an RAF fighter pilot in the war, as well as the first aircraft shot down by a Supermarine Spitfire.

The following year, he flew more operational hours than any other RAF pilot during the Battle of Britain.

Freeborn was born in Middleton in West Yorkshire.

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 beaten him telling a new crop of pupils what a shining example he was.

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.

On 6 September 1939, Freeborn took part in an action later called the Battle of Barking Creek, in which two No. 56 Squadron Hurricanes were intercepted and shot down by aircraft from No. 74 Squadron, thereby becoming the first aircraft destroyed by a Spitfire.

Freeborn shot down the aircraft killing Pilot Officer Montague Hulton-Harrop.

Freeborn felt that his commanding officer, Sailor Malan, tried to evade responsibility for the incident.

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.

Confirmed in his rank of pilot officer on 17 January 1940, his first taste of enemy action was over Dunkirk covering the British Expeditionary Force's escape.

74 Squadron was there for six days from 21 to 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 crash-landed 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, where a Blenheim took him back to England.

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 Dornier Do 17 'unconfirmed'.

Another Bf 109 was claimed on 28 July.

On 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 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 made him an ace during the Battle of Britain, 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."

Freeborn's portrait was drawn by war artist Cuthbert Orde in August 1940 and on 3 September he was promoted to flying officer.

On Malan's departure in March 1941, Freeborn was not given command.

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 Freeborn and Malan's working relationship continued to be professional and exceptionally effective, the case strained their personal relationship.

It is noteworthy that Malan did not recommend Freeborn for either of his subsequent medals.