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Maurice Freehill

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Maurice Michael Freehill
Born(1899-01-21)21 January 1899
Battersea,London, England
Died3 February 1939(1939-02-03)(aged 40)
York Military Hospital,Yorkshire,England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Royal Air Force
Years of service1917–1939
RankSquadron Leader
Unit
Battles/warsWorld War I
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross

Squadron LeaderMaurice Michael FreehillDFC(21 January 1899 – 3 February 1939) was a BritishWorld War Iflying acecredited with seven aerial victories,[1]who went on to serve in the Royal Air Force until his death in 1939.

Biography

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World War I

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Freehill was born inBattersea,London, the son of Eugene and Lilian Freehill. On 20 January 1917, the day before his 18th birthday, he enlisted into theHampshire Regimentas a private.[1]He soon transferred to theRoyal Flying Corpsas a cadet, being appointed a probationary temporarysecond lieutenanton 21 June,[2]and was appointed a flying officer and confirmed in his rank on 13 September.[3]

Posted to No. 46 Squadron RFC, flying theSopwith Camel,he scored his first victory on 23 March 1918, destroying an enemy aircraft overBullecourt.On 1 April the Royal Flying Corps merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force, and Freehill's unit becameNo. 46 Squadron RAF.His next two victories, on 3 and 20 April, were over Albatros C reconnaissance aircraft, both shared with CaptainCecil Marchant.On 30 May he drove down aFokker Dr.IoverEstaires,and then accounted for threeFokker D.VIIs;one each on 7 and 15 August, before transferring toNo. 80 Squadronfor his seventh and final victory on 3 October,[1]having been appointed temporary captain on 30 September.[4]

Freehill was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, which wasgazettedon 7 February 1919. His citation read:

Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Maurice Michael Freehill.
A brilliant leader who has destroyed five enemy aircraft and has displayed conspicuous bravery in attacking enemy troops on the ground. On 4th November, observing that a machine-gun post was holding up the advance of our infantry, he attacked it from a very low altitude, inflicting heavy casualties on the crews and putting them to flight. Later on he carried out a reconnaissance of the Army front at a height of 50 feet in the face of intense machine-gun fire, bringing back most valuable information.[5]

Post-war career

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Freehill remained in the Royal Air Force post-war, being granted a permanent commission on 1 August 1919 with the rank of lieutenant,[6]retaining his acting rank of captain for a time.[7]

On 23 August 1923 Freehill was sent to the Electrical and Wireless School atRAF Flowerdownfor a course of instruction,[8]before being posted toNo. 25 SquadronatRAF Hawkingeon 5 December 1923.[9]

On 1 July 1925 Freehill was promoted fromflying officertoflight lieutenant,[10]and on 22 September 1925 was posted toNo. 5 Armoured Car Company,part ofRAF forcesinIraq.[11]He remained in Iraq to serve inNo. 1 Squadronfrom 25 June 1926,[12]andNo. 55 Squadronfrom 1 November 1926,[13]before returning to the UK, being posted to the Depot atRAF Uxbridgeon 16 October 1927.[14]He then served as an instructor at the Central Flying School atRAF Witteringfrom 17 January 1928,[15]and at No. 2 Flying Training School atRAF Digbyfrom 5 April 1928.[16]

Freehill returned to Iraq to rejoin No. 55 Squadron on 18 January 1930,[17]before serving withNo. 41 (F) SquadronatRAF Northoltfrom 27 April 1932.[18]He was posted to the School of Photography atRAF South Farnboroughon 24 October 1936,[19]and was promoted tosquadron leaderon 1 April 1937.[20]He was then posted toNo. 58 (Bomber) SquadronatRAF Boscombe Downfor flying duties on 22 April 1937.[21]

Squadron Leader Freehill died at York Military Hospital on 3 February 1939.[22]

References

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  1. ^abc"Maurice Michael Freehill".The Aerodrome.2014.Retrieved17 December2014.
  2. ^"No. 30170".The London Gazette(Supplement). 6 July 1917. p. 6787.
  3. ^"No. 30326".The London Gazette(Supplement). 5 October 1917. p. 10367.
  4. ^"No. 30947".The London Gazette.11 October 1918. p. 11974.
  5. ^"No. 31170".The London Gazette.7 February 1919. p. 2039.
  6. ^"No. 31486".The London Gazette.1 August 1919. p. 9870.
  7. ^"No. 31510".The London Gazette.19 August 1919. p. 10477.
  8. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XV(767): 539. 6 September 1923.Retrieved17 December2014.
  9. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XV(782): 771. 20 December 1923.Retrieved17 December2014.
  10. ^"No. 33063".The London Gazette.3 July 1925. p. 4456.
  11. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XVII(876): 662. 8 October 1925.Retrieved17 December2014.
  12. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XVIII(918): 469. 29 July 1926.Retrieved17 December2014.
  13. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XVIII(937): 819. 9 December 1926.Retrieved17 December2014.
  14. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XIX(989): 843. 8 December 1927.Retrieved17 December2014.
  15. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XX(997): 73. 2 February 1928.Retrieved17 December2014.
  16. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XX(1008): 275. 19 April 1928.Retrieved17 December2014.
  17. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XXII(1104): 242. 21 February 1930.Retrieved17 December2014.
  18. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XXIV(1220): 431. 13 May 1932.Retrieved17 December2014.
  19. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XXX(1455): 536. 12 November 1936.Retrieved17 December2014.
  20. ^"No. 34385".The London Gazette.2 April 1937. p. 2126.
  21. ^"Royal Air Force: Appointments".Flight.XXXI(1484): 563. 3 June 1937.Retrieved17 December2014.
  22. ^Brew, Steve (2014)."The Pilots of 41 Squadron RAF 1923-1939 (F)".41 Squadron Nominal Roll, April 1923 – August 1939.Retrieved17 December2014.
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