British Mosquito “F for Freddie”  – Tragedy

Before the final production of the Mosquito stopped, three far-flung factories of de Havilland, had produced some 7,000 wooden wonders. In England slightly over 5,200 were built, Australia completed 212, and the Canadian mark ended at 1,032.

 

As the 750^th Canadian built Mosquito neared the end of production, a special christening event was planned to mark the start of the eighth Canadian Victory War Bond campaign.

 

Hollywood screen star Par O’Brien would arrive at the plant on 19 April 1945 and christen a Canadian-built Mosquito.

 

To top off the celebration, de Havilland officials in England decided it was time to send a British built Mosquito to tour the Canadian war plants on behalf of the eighth Victory War Bond drive. The selected crew consisted of Flight Lieutenant Maurice Briggs, DSO, DFC, DFM, and Flying Officer Johnny Baker, DFC and Bar. The crew departed England in early April flying Mosquito “D for Dog”. Enroute to Canada, the British Mosquito developed mechanical trouble and they had to return to England for another aircraft.  The replacement aircraft was the most famous Mosquito in the Royal Air Force, [serial LR503] a combat heroine of 213 operations over the skies of the Third Reich.

Mosquito serial LR503, a Mark IX, was built at the de Havilland, Hatfield, England plant in early 1943. The aircraft was delivered to No. 109 Squadron at Wyton, Huntingdonshire, flying her first operation on 28 May 1943. The unit was one of the original Pathfinder Force squadrons and made history flying the first radar blind bombing system known as “Oboe”, 20/21 December 1942. Mosquito LR503 received the unit code letters HS-F.

The Mosquito became known as “F for Freddie” and soon sported impressive nose art of a funny looking mosquito dropping a 500-pound bomb on a running Hitler, with original bomb operations painted white. After completing 203 operations, Freddie was transferred to No. 105 Squadron in early March 1944, and received code letters GB-F.

 

No. 105 Squadron, stationed at Marham, Norfolk, became the first Royal Air Force unit to become operational flying the Mosquito B. Mk. IV bomber on 11 April 1942. [Crews had trained in the new mosquito since November 1941]

In the summer of 1943, No. 105 was equipped with “Oboe” and its Mosquitoes began wearing the matt black paint of Pathfinder squadron, joining her sister No. 109 as a friendly rival.

 

Flown by many different crews, Freddie flew the last operation, [213] on 10 April 1945, to the Wahren railway marshalling yards at Leipzig, Germany.

For the trip to Canada LR503 was given a quick clean-up and touch-up paint job. The code letters were removed and for some unknown reason the white bombs were spray painted black.	Mr. Nose Art replica showing the two colors of operation bomb markings Private collection of Richard de Boer of Calgary.

On 6 May 1945, Briggs and Baker landed “F for Freddie” at Downsview, Ontario, home of the Canadian de Havilland plant. Captain Edward Jack, a member of ferry command, was now assigned to go with Briggs and Baker as their service engineer. The three now headed west for a number of one-day stops, thrilling the crowds with low level flying.

On 9 May 45, they arrived at Calgary for the only two-day stop on the Canadian trip. The war in Europe had ended on 8 May and the city of Calgary was in a wild celebrating mood. Before landing, Briggs put on an aerial display, literally through the streets of downtown Calgary. At over 400 mph he buzzed the streets, flying below the roof tops of the Palliser Hotel and Hudson’s Bay Company building. Returning to the airport, [No. 37 S.F.T.S] where hundreds had gathered, Briggs zoomed “Freddie” over the control tower at well over 400 mph, clearing the rooftops by only a few feet.

This Calgary Herald photo by Harry Befus (9 May 1945. Glenbow archives NA2864-190) tells the full story better than words

The Mosquito air-show at Calgary thrilled the local spectators to the core and many felt it was just the crew’s way of celebrating the end of the war in Europe. For pilot Briggs it was also a special way to say – “Hello Calgary, I’m back home!”

 

At age 17 years, Briggs had enlisted in the Royal Air Force in 1938, and flew as air-gunner on a Whitley bomber just six days after war was declared on Germany. He became one of the first lucky ones and survived a tour of forty operations, for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. The following year he served as a gunnery instructor and then was accepted for pilot training in Canada. From December 1942 to May 1943, Briggs trained at No. 37 Service Flying Training School, Calgary, Alberta. He made many friends in Calgary and also charmed some of the local young ladies.

He now moved on north to No. 32 Elementary Flying Training School at Bowden, where he received his wings. F/L Briggs returned to England posted to No. 109 Squadron where he was paired with F/O John C. Baker, DFC, and flying Mosquito aircraft, completed 107 combat operations together.

 

In December 1944, Briggs and Baker were transferred to Transport Command and began to ferry new Canadian built Mosquito’s from Downsview, Ontario, to England.

 

In early April 1945, the team was assigned to make the Mosquito tour of Canadian War Plants.

 

The evening hours of 9 May 1945 were filled with dinner, drinks, meeting with old friends, and an occasion of great personal significance to F/L Briggs. There was also some romantic mystery to the evening as Briggs was reported seen leaving with a VIP special guest from the Nationalist Chinese Government. [A tall good-looking Chinese lady]

 

In the summer of 1943, Officers of the Nationalist Chinese Air Force visited the de Havilland Canada plant to study the Canadian Mosquito. As the Far East crisis grew in China, senior officers of Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Air Force became frequent visitors to de Havilland at Downsview. By the spring of 1945 three Chinese Air Force Officer’s were working in the Canadian plant. [Captain Pei Sun Wu, Chung Ling Hsu and Kou Chan] This was the building block for the Chinese Air Force to fly Canadian built Mosquito fighters in the fight against the Communist takeover of China. In 1948 our Canadian Government gave millions of tax dollars to the Nationalists and 300 Canadian-built Mosquito aircraft were shipped to China. [I wonder if any remain?]

 

Was the Chinese lady from Calgary or did Briggs meet her in Downsview? Did they spend the night together? The answers to these questions may never be known but the mystery lady did play an ironic part in the crash of F for Freddie.

 

The following day [10 May 45] a special luncheon was held at Calgary, and then the crew was scheduled to fly to war plants at Red Deer and Lethbridge, returning to Calgary that evening. F/L Briggs planned to make two high-speed passes over the Calgary tower and then fly south to Lethbridge. Their 3:00 pm departure was delayed for just over one hour, as Captain Jack made minor repairs to the Mosquito.

 

One of Briggs girlfriends [Miss Sharpe] from the Bowden area of Alberta attended the luncheon and was allowed to take photos as the crew left.

Miss Sharpe takes this photo at approx. 4:10 pm. Captain Jack has completed his repairs and then suddenly a sick feeling has overcome him. Briggs suggests he stay in Calgary and the team is paired up again. [unpublished photo]	Miss Sharp takes a photo as the crew, [F/O John Baker left and pilot F/L Maurice Briggs] prepare to enter “F for Freddie”. In 20 minutes they will both be dead.

	The photo records the seconds after impact with the roof, the left wing folded upwards, broken from the fuselage of “Freddie”. In an instant the Mosquito tumbled out of control, hitting the ground one-half mile south of the control tower, just missing a farmer’s buildings. The brave crew is killed instantly, in a second of carelessness, maybe caused by the visit of the Chinese lady.
	The crash site of “Freddie” only the twin Rolls Royce engines lay in the burned heap of ruins. Calgary 10 May 1945. On 11 May 1945, F/L Briggs and F/O Baker are buried in the field of Honor at Burnsland, Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.