Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John Stanley Freeman 

Service Number: 16430

John Stanley Freeman was born on the 8th of November, 1894 at Newtown NSW to Alfred Freeman and Maria Janz Kelly. He was the second child in his family after his older brother, Richard S Freeman and younger sister, Rose W Freeman born in 1891 and 1901 respectively. Information revolving around the occupations of his family is scarce, however, sources provide that his father, Alfred Freeman had worked as a bootmaker, providing for his family as the main source of income. During his childhood John Freeman lived with his family at Mortdale, Hurstville, NSW where he started his education at Kogarah Superior Primary School, the exact date and period of which are unavailable due to a lack of historical records. After attending primary school, Freeman would further his education, attending Technical Day School for 2 years, tenable from 1 February 1909.

After graduating, Freeman would begin work in the Army Medical Corps as a Private, enlisting on the 10th February, 1916, at 21 years and 4 months of age. Within the Army Medical Corps, Freeman worked as part of the 7th field ambulance division as an laboratory assistant, responsible for aiding other higher ranking medical laboratory staff to help develop treatments for diseases and other forms of ailments inflicted upon soldiers.

His AIF records as well as many other sources indicate that he had served on hospital ships, mainly the “No.1 Hospital Ship Karoola”, embarking multiple times including 27th of May, 10th and 19th of August and 9th of December, 1916. During World War 1, Hospital ships served the function of acting as a floating medical treatment and transport facilities for wounded soldiers. The “Karoola” served this same purpose and was used as one of the primary Australian hospital ships of World War 1, responsible for transporting casualties from the Middle East to be treated. The “Karoola” voyaged regularly between Egypt, Britain and Australia, transporting those wounded or injured in the Western Front to care facilities in Britain and Australia.

He had served for 1 year and 69 days when he was discharged to home service sometime in April, 1917. However, within the same year Freeman would re-enlist in the Army Medical Corps on 1st September, 1917, assuming the same position prior to the discharge, begin service once again upon the “No.1 Hospital Ship Karoola” and showing his devotion and determination to contribute to the war effort. Freeman’s work aboard the hospital was part of a larger network of medical services that provided vital care and recovery for soldiers, playing an essential role in sustaining the war effort and ensuring those who fought had the highest chance of survival. He would continue work aboard the “Karoola” until May of 1919, when he was transferred to staff of No.14 Australian General Hospital, as a promoted sergeant on laboratory duties where he worked until his discharge.

John Freeman returned to Sydney in September, 1919, and was discharged from service the same month. After returning to Australia, Freeman began work as a senior veterinary technician at the Veterinary Research Unit at Glenfield in 1923. Tragically the same year his younger sister, Rose W Freeman, 3rd child of Alfred Freeman and Maria Janz Kelly died to unstated causes at the young age of 22 (1901-1923) in Woree Private Hospital, Rockdale. In 1928 on the 6th of March John Stanley Freeman married Minnie Margaret Cloke only daughter of Alfred Cloke and Mrs. Cloke at All Saints' Church, Liverpool, NSW.

Sometime after his marriage, John Freemans place of residence changed to Liverpool, NSW, which can be assumed was a result of moving into a residence with his newly wedded wife. During the year 1933, John Stanley Freeman would suffer heavy loss in losing both his parents within the same year. Both his mother, Maria Janz Kelly, (1867-1933) and father, Alfred Freeman, (1868-1933) passed only 36 days apart on the 22 October, 1933 and 27 November, 1933 respectively. 

The first appearance of Freeman’s interests in local politics surfaced in 1937 after he was successfully elected Alderman at Ingleburn from 1937 until 1940, then was elected Mayor in 1940. After his first successful campaign, Freeman would re-enter and be re-elected as Alderman at Liverpool from 1941 until 1945 then Mayor from 1944 until 1945 growing his hobby for local politics. Up until this time, Freeman had worked at a Veterinary Research Unit, however sometime after 1945 he would become a branch officer at Manchester Unity as a foundation member and then director of Liverpool District Hospital and Blacktown District Hospital until 1964. Additionally, soon after Freeman became president of Liverpool Returned Servicemen's League highlighting his passion for leadership. His passion for leadership and local politics was further displayed after he became a Member of the ALP (Australian Labor Party) and the NSW Legislative Assembly for blacktown from 18th August 1945 to 16th February 1959.

As a result John Freeman’s commitment to the community through politics and medical expertise, he was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1968 which was given to “Honour those who had served in a non-combative role and expanded the Order to reward contributions to the Arts, Sciences, Charitable work and Public Service.”

John Stanley Freeman died in 1970 at the age of 76 (1894-1970), 1 year after the death of his wife Minnie Margaret Cloke, aged 80 (1889-1969), his funeral at Roman Catholic Cemetery at Kemps Creek from Liverpool Methodist church.

References

(1)https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eGwq4BvottGNOo35FKpxMlkpBJ7t2oI_/edit (timeline of his life, shown on page 6)

(2)https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/formermembers/Pages/former-member-details.aspx?pk=1560 

(3) Virtual War Memorial, John Stanley Freeman https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/321235 

(4) Who’s Who in Australia 1950

(5) NSW State Records NRS 14043

(6) NNA, B2455, FREEMAN J S, - page 19

(7) Op cit - page 5

(8) https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsnr.2007.0035#d1e125

(9) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=104338 AIF records

(10)https://collections.sea.museum/en/objects/92072/tss-karoola-as-a-wwi-hospital-ship#:~:text=When%20the%20conversion%20was%20completed,Egypt%20to%20collect%20more%20casualties. 

(11) NNA, B2455, FREEMAN J S, - page 9

(12) Op cit - page 31

(13) Op cit - page 31

(14)https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/formermembers/Pages/former-member-details.aspx?pk=1560 

(15) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eGwq4BvottGNOo35FKpxMlkpBJ7t2oI_/edit (timeline of his life, shown on page 6)

(16) Propeller (Hurstville, NSW : 1911 - 1954), Friday 13 April 1928, page 1

(17) ibid. - page 6

(18) Op cit - page 6

(19)https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/formermembers/Pages/former-member-details.aspx?pk=1560 

(20) Op cit

(21) Op cit

(22)https://honours.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about/orders-and-medals/#:~:text=The%20Order%20of%20the%20British%20Empire%20was%20established%20by%20King,Charitable%20work%20and%20Public%20Service. 

(23) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eGwq4BvottGNOo35FKpxMlkpBJ7t2oI_/edit (bottom line of page 8)

Bibliography 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eGwq4BvottGNOo35FKpxMlkpBJ7t2oI_/edit John Stanley

Freeman, Research on Google Drive

https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/formermembers/Pages/former-member-details.aspx?pk=1560

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=4024805&S=1&N=72&R=0 p5, 9, 17, 19, 30, 31, 47,58, 64

Virtual War Memorial, John Stanley Freeman https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/321235

https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=104338 AIF records

https://honours.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about/orders-and-medals/#:~:text=The%20Order%20of%20the%20British%20Empire%20was%20established%20by%20King,Charitable%20work%20and%20Public%20Service.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eGwq4BvottGNOo35FKpxMlkpBJ7t2oI_/edit

https://collections.sea.museum/en/objects/92072/tss-karoola-as-a-wwi-hospital-ship#:~:text=When%20the%20conversion%20 was%20completed,Egypt%20to%20collect%20more%20casualties.

https://mtnebodallas.org/five-beliefs-that-set-methodists-apart/#:~:text=Most%20Methodists%20teac

h%20that%20Christ,what%20they%20do%20in%20life.

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsnr.2007.0035#d1e125

https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/321235

https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/science-and-technology-australia/

Who’s Who in Australia 1950

NSW State Records NRS 14043