Neil Mackenzie Freeman

{{short description|Australian Army officer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}

{{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Neil Freeman

| image =

| fullname = Neil Mackenzie Freeman

| birth_date = {{birth date|1890|04|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Geelong, Victoria

| death_date = {{death date and age|1961|11|07|1890|04|21|df=y}}

| death_place = Newtown, Victoria

| originalteam = East Geelong (GDFA)

| height = 183 cm

| weight = 78 kg

| position = Fullback

| statsend = 1914

| years1 = 1911–14

| club1 = {{AFL Gee}}

| games_goals1 = 45 (1)

| careerhighlights =

}}

Brigadier Neil Mackenzie Freeman, {{post-nominals|DSO}} (21 April 1890 – 7 November 1961) was a senior officer of the Australian Army and an Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the Victorian Football League (VFL).{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 |last1=Holmesby|first1=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim |year=2014 |edition=10th |isbn=978-1-921496-32-5 |publisher=BAS Publishing |location=Seaford, Victoria |page=298}}

After a four-year senior football career, he served in the infantry during the First World War, rising to the rank of major within the First Australian Imperial Force and receiving the Distinguished Service Order in November 1917{{London Gazette|issue=30389|page=11950|date=16 November 1917|supp=y}} for actions during the Battle of Polygon Wood, serving with the 58th Battalion and then the 31st, both of which he commanded briefly.{{cite web | url=http://www.awm.gov.au/units/people_1076347.asp | title=Brigadier Neil Mackenzie Freeman, DSO | publisher=Australian War Memorial Website | accessdate=21 September 2013}} He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order for "gallant services in the Battle of Polygon Wood" in 1917 and was Mentioned in Despatches.{{cite book | author=Cullen, Barbara | title=Harder than football : league players at war | year=2015 | page= 147 |publication-date=2015 | location=Richmond, Victoria | publisher=Slattery Media Group | isbn=978-0-992379-14-8}}

After his discharge from the service, he returned to his city of birth – Geelong – to work as a councillor, standing for election to the Australian Parliament.{{cite web | url=http://www.deakin.edu.au/alfreddeakin/spc/manuscript-collections/geelonglawyers/freeman/index.php | title=Neil Mackenzie Freeman 1890–1961 | publisher=Deakin University | accessdate=21 September 2013 | author=Hill, Vivian}} He became a solicitor, holding a law degree from Melbourne University, and worked for a law firm before setting up his own practice.{{cite web | url=http://www.deakin.edu.au/alfreddeakin/spc/manuscript-collections/geelonglawyers/freeman/nf3.php | title=Notes of interview by V. Hill with H. Fallaw re N. Freeman | publisher=Deakin University | accessdate=21 September 2013 | author=Hill, Vivian}}

Following the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Freeman returned to the armed forces and rose to the rank of brigadier. He was discharged from the Army on 3 July 1943; his last posting was to the 3rd Military District's infantry training brigade.{{cite web |url=http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=531851 |title=Freeman, Neil Mackenzie |work=World War II Nominal Roll |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |date=6 October 2013 |access-date=6 October 2013 |archive-date=21 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221064140/http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=531851 |url-status=dead }}