The citation for this award describes how his battalion was the forward unit of a bridgehead over the River Orne near Grimbosq and over the forty-eight hours of 7 and 8 August 1944 repelled nine German counterattacks (by elements of the 271st Volksgrenadier Division and 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend). Despite heavy German fire, Freeland constantly moved around the battlefield to encourage his forward companies, and find the moment to launch his own offensive.[8] Around the same time Captain David Jamieson of Freeland's battalion was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC). Just a few days later, however, the battalion, along with the rest of the 59th Division, was, due to a critical manpower shortage in the British Army at this stage of the war, broken up and the remaining men were sent to other British infantry units to bring them to strength.
While, at the end of the war, he held war temporary rank as a lieutenant-colonel, he was still only a substantive captain and was promoted to substantive major on 1 July 1946,[11] and granted a brevet promotion to lieutenant-colonel on 1 July 1951.[12] On 15 February 1954, he was promoted substantive lieutenant-colonel, and given command of 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.[2][13] The battalion served in Cyprus in 1954.[2]
Freeland held the honorary appointment of Deputy Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment (successor to the Royal Norfolk Regiment) with specific responsibility for the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire components of the regiment from 1968,[27] and was appointed colonel of the regiment on 4 October 1971,[28] relinquishing the appointment on 1 October 1976.[29]
Northern Ireland
In the middle of August 1969, the decision was made to reinforce the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Northern Ireland with army personnel. Freeland had been appointed general officer commanding on 9 July 1969, during a relatively peaceful time in the early Troubles, when just 1,000 British troops were stationed there,[3][30] and was subsequently made director of operations in security matters on 28 August.[31] By mid-August, there had been major rioting. Troop levels had reached about 6,000, and Freeland was warning that there was a danger that soldiers would become targets.[32]
Freeland argued strongly for the abolition of the B Specials.[3] Support from the Irish Nationalist population also waned after the shooting of Daniel O'Hagan on 31 July 1970. He received criticism for a television interview he gave, in which he said, "that the Army's patience was not inexhaustible, and that force might have to be met by force".[3] He fully expected to be dismissed from his post, but he was supported by the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, and the Home Secretary, James Callaghan.[3][33] By June 1970, troop numbers reached 7,000, largely to meet expected trouble arising from the climax of the "marching season", and the release of Bernadette Devlin from jail.
In the event, no major trouble materialised, perhaps thanks to the precautions put in effect.[3] By September 1970, it was reported that Freeland was to step down at his own request, due to extreme stress.[3][34] He was succeeded by Vernon Erskine-Crum on 4 February 1971.[35] This proved to be a short-lived appointment as Erskine-Crum suffered a heart attack soon afterwards and was replaced, in turn, by Lieutenant-General Harry Tuzo on 2 March.[36] Freeland was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 1971 Queen's Birthday Honours,[37] and retired from the army on 21 June 1971.[38]
He correctly predicted a "honeymoon period" after British soldiers were placed on patrol on the streets, though he incorrectly predicted that the peace lines in Belfast were to be temporary.
The peace line will be a very, very temporary affair. We will not have a Berlin Wall or anything like that in this city.
After his retirement from the army in 1971, Freeland lived in Dereham, Norfolk. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk in 1972,[40] and Vice Lieutenant in 1978.[41]
Personal life
In the late 1930s, while stationed in India, Freeland met Mary Armitage, daughter of GeneralSir Charles Armitage.[1] During the early stages of World War II, he returned to England with her and, on 2 January 1940, they were married at St. Andrews Church, Kilverstone; they had three children, Charles, born in 1941, Sue, born in 1943, and Henry, born in 1948.[1]
Bibliography
Bew, Paul; Gillespie, Gordon (1993). Northern Ireland: A Chronology of the Troubles, 1968–1993. Gill & Macmillan. ISBN0-7171-2081-3.
^Douglas-Home, Charles (19 August 1969). "British troops may become targets, GOC says". News. The Times. No. 57642. London. col B, p. 8.
^"Home Secretary defends General Freeland: Unionist MP wants commander replaced". Politics and Parliament. The Times. No. 57838. London. 8 April 1970. col D, p. 13.
^Stanhope, Henry & John Chartres (24 September 1970). "Two new security chiefs for Northern Ireland". News. The Times. No. 57979. London. col E, p. 2.
