WAR SERVICE (THEN AND NOW)
The call for soldiers in World War I and II was answered by the men from Freestone. The Honour Boards for both these wars are displayed in the Freestone Memorial Hall and the following details are taken directly from them.
The World War I honour board was presented to the Freestone Memorial Hall by Mr W L Palmer Senior in 1954. It says:
FOR KING & COUNTRY
HEROES WHO HAVE ENLISTED FROM FREESTONE
4 August 1914 - 28 June 1919
Reg Tucker W T Phillips
Bert Tucker Fred Drury
Tom Matthews L J Gillespie
Roy Hall C S Duncan
A E Hall Hal Hall
H V Petersen W O’Grady
W Petersen Hans Roth
A Petersen J Doran
J Mooney T McMahon
W Hall B Petersen
M Douglas J J Farrell
Neils Lonn Otto Munchow
J A Petersen P McDonald
Otto H Munchow, 52nd Battalion. Enlisted August 1916. Died from effects of gas 11 May 1921.
Walter E Smale. Killed 7 August 1915.
Private Bert Tucker, 42nd Battalion. Killed in action near Amiens, 24 August 1918.
Private Alfred Petersen, 49th Battalion. Enlisted August 1914. Killed in action at Monteban 19 January 1917.
This was supposed to have been the war to end all wars, however, 1939 once again saw our young men going off to war.
From the Honour Board:
FOR KING AND COUNTRY
1939 - 1945
G Allen T Head
R Barton D Mauch
E Barton C Morgan
G Booth J McGee
H Booth A Noble
A Chamberlain L Palmer
A Cox J Porter
D Cox W Porter
K Cox E Roberts
R Cox P Ryan
A Dawson E Shelley
K Flynn L Shelley
F Ford C Simon
D Fraser E J Smith
E Glover R Tandy
J Hagenbach W Whell
J M Hagenbach P Hagenbach
KILLED OR MISSING:
Pilot Officer J H Porter, 44 Rhodesia Squadron RAF. Enlisted June 1941. Posted missing 22 March 1944.
Flight Sergeant V H Hansen. Killed in action at Trappes over France 3 June 1944.
Private W L Williams, 2/15 Australian Infantry Bn. Enlisted 25th March 1941, died 1 January 1942.
We were not able to get any accurate records for Malaya, Korea or Vietnam, however we did find out that 2 men were in Malaya.
Jimmy Briggs - stationed in Active Duty in Malaya as a leading engineer mechanic in the Navy.
Jock Miller - served as a sergeant in the Air Force in Malaya.
There may have been others from Freestone who served their country, but we were unable to locate any further names. We honour all men and women who offered their lives to save the freedom of our country.
At present, two men, former Freestone School students, are serving in the Australian Army. Their parents, Bill and Ev Briggs, still live at Upper Freestone.
Roger Briggs is a corporal in the Royal Australian Armed Corp and is based at Enogera in Brisbane.
Keith Briggs is a Bombadier in the Royal Australian Artillery and is based at Laverick Barricks in Townsville.