Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Bookrved in China, 1899-1902, on board the Endymion (medal), and in the European War, 1914-15, and was killed while on active service in the North Sea, near Heligoland, Jan. 1915, in command of Submarine E 10, which was destroyed with all hands. Admiral Sir George Warrender wrote: "I knew him well, for he was with me in the Shannon and I admired and respected him as one of the finest of our young officers." He _m._ at Colinton, Midlothian, 9 April, 1908, Kathleen Lilias (Colinton, Midlothian), dau. of Capt. Abel Chapman, 19th Hussars, and had two daus.: Mary Kathleen, _b._ 16 Aug. 1911; and Rachel Margaret, _b._ 22 Jan. 1913. [Illustration: =William St. John Fraser.=] =FREDERICK, HENRY=, Stoker (Native), H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =FREDERICK, JOHN EDWARD=, Gunner (R.F.R., I.C. 43), H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =FREDERICKS, WILLIAM=, A.B., 198858, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =FREEBOROUGH, CHARLES HENRY=, Leading Seaman, 228949, H.M.S Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =FREEMAN, CHARLES WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 15937, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914. =FREEMAN, GEOFFREY WILLIAM=, Private, No. 1201, 5th Battn. (London Rifle Brigade) The London Regt. (T.F.), eldest _s._ of William Edward Freeman, of 77, North Side, Clapham Common, S.W., L.D.S., R.C.S. Eng., Dental Surgeon, by his wife, Maud, dau. of the late John Hopkins, of Sydney, N.S.W.; _b._ Narrabri, New South Wales, 11 Sept. 1896; came to England with his parents, 1903; educ. Manor House School, Clapham Common; and when war broke out was studying to enter Guy's Hospital. He immediately volunteered and joined the London Rifle Brigade, 4 Nov. 1914, and, after training at Crowboro' and Haywards Heath, went to France, 12 March, 1915. He wrote home regularly and cheerfully, his last letter being dated 8 May when the battn. was resting from a long spell in the trenches. A day or two later they were rushed up to take part in the Second Battle of Ypres, and he was one of the gallant band of nine who were with Sergt. D. W. Belcher when he won his V.C. on 13 May. Sergt. Belcher, with his handful of men, elected to remain and endeavour to hold a portion of an advanced breastwork south of the Wieltje-St. Julien Road, which was under heavy bombardment from the enemy's artillery, after the troops near him had been withdrawn, and there is little doubt that the bold front shown by Sergt. Belcher and the few men with him prevented the enemy from breaking through and making a flank attack on one of the divisions. They held on during the whole day, and at nightfall reinforcements came up and the position was saved. Unfortunately, however, Freeman was killed during the course of the day. He had volunteered to take a message under heavy fire to Capt. Somers Smith of the L.R.B.; the message was taken and delivered, but almost immediately a shell burst and he and all around him were killed. He was named in Battn. Orders, and 2nd Lieut. A. G. Sharp wrote; "He was always popular wherever he went, and everyone who came in contact with him, liked him. During the whole time I knew him I never met one person who had anything but good to say of him. In his last term at Manor House he won the Gold Medal, and everyone who was with him during his short but glorious career in the Army says that they have lost in him a great pal. During his whole life he upheld the traditions of his school, which was very dear to him, and he died as every Manorian would wish to die. Truly when one thinks of him one is convinced that Manor House makes no idle boast when she says that all her sons are 'Sportsmen and true gentlemen.'" [Illustration: =Geoffrey W. Freeman.=] =FREEMAN, JAMES=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 3402), 217667, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =FREER, ALEXANDER=, Private, No. 7890, 1st Battn. Highland L.I., 6th _s._ of George Freer, of 18, Cameron Street, off New City Road, Glasgow, by his wife, Barbara Park, dau. of William Ferris, of Dundee, Carpenter; _b._ Glasgow, 31 June, 1894; educ. Oakbank School there; was an apprentice shipwright with Messrs. Berdmore & Dalmuir; enlisted 30 Jan. 1914; went to France, 4 Jan. 1915, and was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle, 12 March, 1915. His yst. brother, Robert, died on active service (see his notice), and of his other brothers, James and John are both on active service, the former with the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders and the latter at Salonika. [Illustration: =Alexander Freer.=] =FREER, LEACROFT HOWARD=, Sapper, No. 5089, 1st Coy. (6th North Vancouver Engineers), Canadian Engineers, 2nd _s._ of the late Howard Freer, of Bidford Grange, Warwickshire, by his wife, Gertrude Louisa (Port Hammond, P.O., British Columbia, Canada), dau. of Peter Davis, of Bickmarsh Hall, co. Warwick; _b._ Bidford Grange, co. Warwick, 26 Aug. 1884; educ. Bedford Grammar School; went to Canada in 1903, farming, afterwards taking up carpentering; volunteered on the outbreak of war and joined the North Vancouver Engineers, 11 Aug. 1914; came over with the first contingent; went to the Front in Feb. 1915, and was killed in action at Givenchy, 15 June, 1915, by shell-fire; _unm._ A comrade wrote: "On the evening of 15 June, the Canadians were making an attack, a party of engineers, including your son and myself, were waiting with some infantry in a communication trench immediately behind our front line for the word to go forward. Before the word came a large German shell exploded quite close to us, killing seven of our men, your son being one. He was killed instantly, as he was nearest to the explosion. Your son was thought much of by both officers and men. He was always so willing to help others. His services to the company will be greatly missed. He was so capable, being able to turn his hand to such a variety of works"; and another: "He was the ideal type of an Englishman, I always thought, and I know that everyone who had anything to do with him liked and admired him." [Illustration: =Leacroft Howard Freer.=] =FREER, ROBERT=, Private, No. 3351, 3/5th Battn. Highland L.I. (T.F.), 7th and yst. _s._ of George Freer, of 18, Cameron Street, off New City Road, Glasgow, by his wife, Barbara Park, dau. of William Ferris, of Dundee, Carpenter; _b._ Glasgow, 28 Oct. 1897; educ. Oakbank School there; was an apprentice with a boat builder; enlisted 7 April, 1915, a month after his brother Alexander was killed at Neuve Chapelle, and died in the Military Hospital at Ripon, 26 Dec. 1915, of pneumonia contracted while training; _unm._ [Illustration: =Robert Freer.=] =FREIGHT, STANLEY GEORGE=, Corpl., No. 123, 1/4th Royal West Surrey Regt. (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of Edward James Freight, of 40, Windmill Road, Croydon, Builder, by his wife, |