Tasmanian War Casualties

World War 11 Casualties

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Briggs, George Maxwell

The following is taken from TASMANIANS AT WAR IN THE AIR 1939-1945 with the kind permission of Brian Winspear

Max Briggs, son of the headmaster of Scotch College , Launceston was the first Tasmanian to join the R.A.A.F. Empire Air Training Scheme in 1939 with the number 408000. He trained as a pilot in Australia and Canada and was posted to No 601 City of London Squadron in Kent flying Airocobras and Spitfires. He had several ‘kills’ to his credit when he was shot down over the English Channel and rescued from the water by an Air Sea Rescue craft. Because Malta was having such a tough time, a squadron of spitfires was loaded onto the aircraft carrier “Eagle” and taken to Gibralter. With just enough fuel to get to Malta the Spitfires, with no previous carrier experience, took off from the short deck and arrived at Malta in the middle of an air raid. Life on Malta was stressful, with bombing raids and a scarcity of food. “ Malta belly” was rife, and sleep was in short supply.

On the 10^th May 1942 Max was leading No 603 Squadron when it was involved in fierce ‘dog fights’ over the Island . Max failed to return to base and was last seen chasing a JU88.

Max was a Pilot Officer with 525 flying hours when he died, aged 22 years. At Malta at the time of Max’s death 130 enemy aircraft was shot down in a 72 hour period.

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Tasmanian War Casualties, Honouring the past, building understanding.