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]
Notesedit
^ ab"Brigadier Neil Mackenzie Freeman, DSO". Australian War Memorial Website. 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. ISBN978-1-921496-32-5.
neil, mackenzie, freeman, brigadier, april, 1890, november, 1961, senior, officer, australian, army, australian, rules, footballer, played, with, geelong, victorian, football, league, neil, freemanpersonal, informationfull, namedate, birth, 1890, april, 1890pl. 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 FreemanPersonal informationFull nameNeil Mackenzie FreemanDate of birth 1890 04 21 21 April 1890Place of birthGeelong VictoriaDate of death7 November 1961 1961 11 07 aged 71 Place of deathNewtown VictoriaOriginal team s East GeelongHeight183 cm 6 ft 0 in Weight78 kg 172 lb Position s FullbackPlaying career1YearsClubGames Goals 1911 14Geelong45 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 editNeil Mackenzie Freeman s playing statistics from AFL Tables Neil Mackenzie Freeman at AustralianFootball com Generals of World War II nbsp This Australian rules football biography of a person born in 1890 is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Neil Mackenzie Freeman amp oldid 1223758720, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
