Brigadier Neil Mackenzie Freeman, DSO (21 April 1890 – 7 November 1961)[1][2] was a senior officer of the Australian Army and an Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[3]
| Neil Freeman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Neil Mackenzie Freeman | ||
| Date of birth | 21 April 1890 | ||
| Place of birth | Geelong, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 7 November 1961 (aged 71) | ||
| Place of death | Newtown, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | East Geelong (GDFA) | ||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 78 kg (172 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Fullback | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1911–14 | Geelong | 45 (1) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1914. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
After a four-year senior football career, he served in the infantry during the First World War, rising to the rank of major within the First Australian Imperial Force and receiving the Distinguished Service Order in November 1917[4] for actions during the Battle of Polygon Wood, serving with the 58th Battalion and then the 31st, both of which he commanded briefly.[1][2] He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order for "gallant services in the Battle of Polygon Wood" in 1917 and was Mentioned in Despatches.[5]
After his discharge from the service, he returned to his city of birth – Geelong – to work as a councillor, standing for election to the Australian Parliament.[2] He became a solicitor, holding a law degree from Melbourne University, and worked for a law firm before setting up his own practice.[6]
Following the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Freeman returned to the armed forces and rose to the rank of brigadier.[6] He was discharged from the Army on 3 July 1943; his last posting was to the 3rd Military District's infantry training brigade.[7]
Notes
edit- ^ a b "Brigadier Neil Mackenzie Freeman, DSO". Australian War Memorial Website. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
- ^ a b c Hill, Vivian. "Neil Mackenzie Freeman 1890–1961". Deakin University. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 298. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
- ^ "No. 30389". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 November 1917. p. 11950.
- ^ Cullen, Barbara (2015). Harder than football : league players at war. Richmond, Victoria: Slattery Media Group. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-992379-14-8.
- ^ a b Hill, Vivian. "Notes of interview by V. Hill with H. Fallaw re N. Freeman". Deakin University. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
- ^ "Freeman, Neil Mackenzie". World War II Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. 6 October 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
External links
edit- Neil Mackenzie Freeman's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Neil Mackenzie Freeman at AustralianFootball.com
- Generals of World War II
 | This Australian rules football biography of a person born in 1890 is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |