Hugh Pattenden Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 Hello all, I have in front of me an obituary for Lieutenant Percival Freeman, RGA, who died of wounds on 26th October 1918. He was educated at the Perse School, and Downing College, Cambridge, later working at Highgate School. However, there is no corresponding Percival Freeman on CWGC. Any help would be most welcome in solving this puzzle. Grateful as ever, Hugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 I can't see him after a quick look. The nearest I can find is a 2nd Lt P Freeman of the RGA who died on 19 Sep 1918 but he has been listed as 'Peter' on the card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 I can't see him after a long look! He's not on the Perse School Roll of Honour. I can't find a likely match on the 1911 census. There are no suitable RGA casualties that day, or other Freemans, and there are no suitable medal cards so far. I can't find a death at home on the BMD. Nearest is a Lt Peter Freeman, RGA, but he died 19/9/18. He was from Westhoughton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 Hugh The only entry on SDGW is as ss002 has posted,Peter Freeman and DOW 19 Sep 1918.There is a 284S quoted on the entry,so we could assume 284 Siege Battery RGA. A further item about this officer,there is a probate on him showing the same detail and leaving a widow Ann at Westhoughton,Lancs. No entry in National Roll of the GW. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 Hi Hugh, From: The War List of the University of Cambridge 1914-18: Downing College: Freeman, P. Lieut. R.G.A. (W) 1905. (1905 is the year of Matriculation.) It would seem that he was possibly wounded and missing, which may have triggered the obituary which you have? alternatively he may have died after the war as a result of the wounds he received during the war:- (W) denotes wounded. It may be worth contacting Perse School Cambridge or the University in case they have any record of his death post WW1. Hope this helps, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 Following a protracted look on Ancestry--I think that this is him: Percy Freeman, 28th London(Artist's Rifles); R.G.A.(S.R.) 2/Lt-Lieut-Capt--this rank on BWM and VM; Overseas: --/9/17. Address: London House , Cottenham, Cambridge. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 Me again!! The Artist's Rifles Roll of Honour 1914-18: 7782 Percy Freeman, R.G.A.(S/R) Commissioned: 18/12/16. No mention of promotions or wounding--but then again they simply printed the information which they obtained from the man or his family and any other sources which they could tap--so probably just a shortage of information forthcoming from their enquiries. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 There's an MIC for this man; 28th London Regiment, RGA - Went to France September 1917. Ended up a Captain. Applied for medals 26/8/1921. Address; London House, Cottenham, Cambridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Pattenden Posted 8 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2012 Looks like he survived then! Many thanks, Hugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 I have in front of me an obituary for Lieutenant Percival Freeman, RGA, who died of wounds on 26th October 1918. Where did the obituary come from ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 I wonder if this is him? Wellingborough Sch. Contgt Percy FREEMAN (172929), late Capt. R.G.A., to be Lt. for serv. with the Contgt., 8th Mar. 1941, with seniority 7th Feb. 1941 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 I wonder if this is him? Wellingborough Sch. Contgt Percy FREEMAN (172929), late Capt. R.G.A., to be Lt. for serv. with the Contgt., 8th Mar. 1941, with seniority 7th Feb. 1941 I think it must be, because he was obviously a school master, having been at Highgate School and presumably was later a master at Wellinborough College where he served in the OTC as an officer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Pattenden Posted 8 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2012 Obituary is from the Downing College Magazine for early 1918. Hugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 8 October , 2012 Share Posted 8 October , 2012 There is a mixup somewhere here as the Highgate School Register, 1833-1922 states the following: Percy Freeman: B.A. Downing College, Cambridge. Appointed Assistant Master Highgate School in September 1914. Left Highgate School in April 1916. Re-appointed as Assistant Master, Highgate School in January 1919 and left in December 1919. I find it hard to understand how he could have DOW in 1918, have an obituary in the Downing College Magazine in early 1918 and return as an Asst. Master at Highgate in January 1919. The only officer casualty listed in The Cross of Sacrifice is 2Lt Peter Freeman, 284th Siege Battery, RGA who died of wounds on 19 Sept 1918. Peter Freeman was born in 1889, the son of Thomas Freeman, 127 Wigan Road, Westhoughton. He attended Manchester University obtaining a BSc in 1910. He taught at Forfar Academy and St. Stephen's Boys' School and enlisted in the RGA on 17 Nov 1914 and was attached to the RE (Chemical Section). Promoted to Company QM Sergeant he was gazetted a 2nd Lieut., RGA on 14 Sept. 1916. He initially went to France with 210th Siege Battery, RGA and DOW on 19 September 1918 at San Quentin while serving with 248th Siege Battery, RGA. (Source: Manchester University Roll of Service, 1922). I think that the person who wrote the obituary mentioned in the initial post of this thread failed to realize that there were two different officers in the RGA with the name "P. Freeman" and combined information on the two of them. It would appear that the officer who was at Perse School and Downing College, Cambridge and later taught at Highgate School was Percy Freeman who survived the war, but the RGA officer who died of wounds in 1918 was Peter Freeman. Regards, Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Pattenden Posted 9 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 October , 2012 Many thanks. Hugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALANJONES Posted 28 October , 2017 Share Posted 28 October , 2017 Hello Hugh, The Percy Freeman who survived the War and was a teacher at Highgate School served most of his career as an officer with 122nd Heavy Battery (which I am researching). I got confused initially too ............... Do get in touch by PM if you would like to know more about this one! best wishes Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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