S8368
FREEMAN, William Drummond
| Service Number: | 3315 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Islington, South Australia, Australia, January 1894 |
| Home Town: | Prospect (SA), Prospect, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Boilermaker |
| Died: | 17 February 1962, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Dudley Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Adelaide South Australian Railways WW1 & WW2 Honour Boards, Nailsworth Primary School Great War Roll of Honour, Prospect Roll of Honour A-G WWI Board |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Jul 1915: | Enlisted 3315, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1915: | Involvement Private, 3315, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Oct 1915: | Embarked Private, 3315, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Adelaide | |
| 29 Feb 1916: | Transferred 50th Infantry Battalion, William Drummond Freeman was transferred from the 10th infantry battalion to the 50th infantry battalion | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 3315, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 15 Nov 1918: | Discharged 3315, 50th Infantry Battalion, Discharge due to being medically unfit as a cause of injury. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Before war
William Drummond Freeman (full name) was born in Islington, South Australia in approximately January 1894. He had a job as a boiler maker and lived in Prospect, South Australia. Upon enlisting he notes that he had no previous experience with the military. Before he left to go to war, he was single and his next of kin was his father. He was enlisted into the army and he sailed to war on the 19th of October 1915 on the HMAT A24 Benalla at the age of 21 and a half years.
During War
William Freeman was moved from the 10th battalion to the 50th on 29th of February 1916, a short while after he arrived in Egypt. William Drummond Freeman only suffered one substantial physical injury during his time serving for the Australian Military; this was a Gun Shot Wound (GSW) to his right hand that likely stopped him from being able to serve effectively. This wound was received in action on the 10th of January 1917 in Cardonette, France. In this battle, there was increased efforts from the opposing side and listed as being very few injuries. This was the only time listed on that date that a Private rank soldier could have been injured with a GSW. This injury caused him to be sent to hospital in England and was marked as serious. Later, he was sent back to France to fight after he had healed from his injury. He was transferred to the 70th battalion, and shortly after, the 48th, all while still in England. Shortly after, he ended up back at the 50th battalion in France on 24th October 1917. On 21st March 1918 he suffered an injury to his finger that stopped him from being able to serve well enough to stay. He was sent back to England, where he embarked on a ship to Australia.
After War
William Drummond Freeman was returned, alive, to Australia. From his documents, we can see that he got married, as before he left, he was listed as being single; in documents created after he returns, he is noted as having a wife. The only reason this could be true is if he got married after returning. Later on, William Drummond Freeman has filled out a form saying that he has lost his discharge notice and needs to receive a copy of the form. Later, in 1946 we see that his wife has asked for another form, either meaning that they did not receive a form, or that he is dead, and she needs it for her widow’s pension. At the time Mr Freeman applied for the form, in September 1945 he would have been roughly 52 years of age. This means that he lived through two world wars. According to RSL records he died on 17th February 1962 and was buried at Dudley Park Cemetery.
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