Name
George Freeman
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/11/1917
38
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
290887
Suffolk Regiment
1st/5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DEIR EL BELAH WAR CEMETERY
B.102
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
WHAT I DO THOU KNOWEST NOT BUT THOU SHALT KNOW HEREAFTER
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary's Church Memorial, Shephall, Diocese - Book of Remembrance, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans, Diocese of St Albans - ROH, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans, Not on the Graveley memorials, Not on the St Ippolyts Church memorial
Pre War
George Freeman was born in 1879 in St Ippollitts, near Hitchin, Hertfordshire, the son of John and Emma Freeman. He was one of six children, but one died in infancy.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at Little Almshoe, St Ippollits where his father was working as an agricultural labourer. They remained there in 1891 at which time 12 year old George was also working as an agricultural labourer.
He married Agnes Lee at St Mary's Church, Graveley, Herts on 22 November 1905 and on the 1911 Census they were living at 4 Nottingham Road, Stevenage with their 5 month old son William. John was then working as a groom domestic.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hitchin and joined the Suffolk Regiment initially with the reg. no. 6056, (later re-numbered to 290887). The number of 6056 suggests he enlisted sometime at the end of October or beginning of November 1916.
He served with the 5th battalion in Egypt and Palestine and on 5 November 1917 they were in trenches at a location in Palestine named Fusilier Ridge, and were ordered to attack Turkish positions. The enemy artillery were using high bursting shrapnel shells which caused many men to become wounded, one of whom was George Freeman. He died as a result of his injuries, aged 38, and is buried in the Deir El Belah War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 10s and pay owing of £5 6s 0d. She also received a pension of £1 0s 5d a week.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Paul Johnson, www.stevenageatwar.com. Jill Campbell (Stevenage Museum) - Photo
