W/Cmdr J. C. Freeborn was born was born in Middleton, Yorkshire on 1st December 1919.
John was commissioned in the RAFO in March, 1938, went to 8 FTS, Montose on 9th April, and with his training completed, he joined 74 Squadron at Hornchurch on 29 October. He relinquished his RAFO commission on being granted a short service one in the RAF in January, 1939.

On May 21st, 1940, John claimed a probable Ju 88, on the 22nd he destroyed a Ju 88, on the 24th a probable Bf 109 and on the 27th a Bf 109 destroyed and another probably destroyed. 

During the Battle of Britain, John claimed a Bf 109 destroyed on 10 July, shared a probable Do 17 on the 24th, shot down a Bf 109 on the 28th, destroyed two Bf 110s, a Bf 109 and probably another on 11th August, destroyed a Do 17 on the 13th, destroyed another on 11 September and damaged a He 111 on the 14th. Freeborn was awarded the DFC (13.8.40) and made a Flight Commander on 28th August.

John shared a Bf 109 on 17th November, shot down two Bf 109s, shared another and damaged a fourth on 5th December, and damaged Do 17s on 5th February and 4th March 1941.
John was awarded a Bar to the DFC (25/2/41) and posted away to 57 OTU on 6th June 1941, as an instructor.  While at the OTU, he attended RAF Upavon and completed an instructors course. 

John left 57 OTU to joined a squadron at Catterick. 
In January, he was posted to the South East Training Command in America at the Army Air Force Base in Selma, Alababma.  After two months as RAF liaison officer he went to Eglin Field, Florida where he helped in testing various aircraft, including the Thunderbolt and Mustang.

He returned to the UK in December, 1942, and went to Harrowbear, Exeter, and then to Bolt Head as Station Commander. 

In early 1943, he was posed as a Flight Commander to 602 Squadron providing fighter escort to Halifax and Lancaster bombers. On 1st June, 1943, John was given command of 118 Squadron at Coltishall, leading it until January, 1944, when he was posted to Italy to be Wing Commander Flying of 286 Wing. 

John Freeborn was released from the RAF in 1946, and returned to the RAFO undertaking Flying Training at Doncaster. 
He left the RAFO in 1954 as a Wing Commander.

The Battle of Barking Creek

74 Squadron saw its first action only 15 hours after war was declared, the squadron was scrambled. Freeborn and Flying Officer V.G. Byrne dived to attack what they thought were Bf 109s but turned out to be returning RAF planes. They ran into the Hurricanes of 56 Squadron RAF. Believing 56 to be the enemy 'Sailor' Malan ordered an attack, and in the subsequent tragic battle pilots Paddy Byrne and John Freeborn downed two RAF aircraft, killing one officer, Montague Hulton-Harrop. This friendly fire incident became known as the Battle of Barking Creek. At the subsequent General Court Martial on 7th October, 1939, the court accepted that the entire incident was an unfortunate error, and they were acquitted.

John was of the mind that his RAF career would be over; the incident happening soon after he was reprimanded for landing with the undercarriage of his Spitfire up.

By the end of October, 1940, John Freeborn had flown more operational sorties than any other pilot in Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain.