People Australia

Alan Benjamin John Freeman, n.d. photographer unknown

from Bank of NSW Roll of Honour

ALAN BENJAMIN JOHN FREEMAN, the son of Mr. T. W . and Mrs. Mary Brown Freeman, was born at Geelong, Victoria, on 16th May, 1893.

He was educated at Geelong College, and entered the service of the Bank at Geelong on 18th October, 1910. In August, 1912, he was transferred to Rochester, and in February, 1915, to Melbourne.

He enlisted on 31st July, 1915, and proceeded to Egypt, subsequently seeing service in France and taking part in the Battle of Pozieres and other engagements. He was still in France at the time of the great Australian advance in August, 1918, and rendered conspicuous service at the attack on Peronne on 2nd September. At that time he was still a private, but was promoted shortly afterwards to the rank of lieutenant. The following is the official account of the action for which his Military Medal was awarded:—

“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the attack on Peronne on 2nd September, 1918. When his company in passing through Peronne suffered heavy casualties from a heavy barrage of H.E. and gas, Private Freeman assisted several men forward to the position they were to reach on the canal bank. Here further casualties occurred and it was necessary to get these men across the canal before the stretcher-bearers could carry them to the R.A.P. A pontoon was obtained, but it was too short to reach across the canal, Private Freeman jumped into the water, which was up to his neck, and, though under very heavy fire, guided the pontoon to and from the banks until all the wounded had passed over the canal.

“This man showed great bravery and consideration for the wounded, and undoubtedly saved many lives.”