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Neil Freeman
Personal information
Full name Neil Mackenzie Freeman
Date of birth (1890-04-21)21 April 1890
Place of birth Geelong, Victoria
Date of death 7 November 1961(1961-11-07) (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

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]

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

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  1. ^ a b "Brigadier Neil Mackenzie Freeman, DSO". Australian War Memorial Website. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Hill, Vivian. "Neil Mackenzie Freeman 1890–1961". Deakin University. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "No. 30389". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 November 1917. p. 11950.
  5. ^ Cullen, Barbara (2015). Harder than football : league players at war. Richmond, Victoria: Slattery Media Group. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-992379-14-8.
  6. ^ a b Hill, Vivian. "Notes of interview by V. Hill with H. Fallaw re N. Freeman". Deakin University. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  7. ^ "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.
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