Freeman, Maurice

Maurice Freeman was born September 1884 in Falmouth, Cornwall, England. He was the son of John Albert Freeman and Florence Lee (Collinson) Freeman. He came to Canada, and Princeton, in 1910.

At the time of the 1911 Canada Census, Maurice was working as a draughtsman for Percy Walter (P.W.) Gregory. He was also lodging with Gregory as was his brother, Wilfred. Wilfred was working for Gregory as well and was employed as a chain man.

On April 3, 1914, the Similkameen Star reported that Maurice Freeman had left the offices of P.W. Gregory to go to Falmouth, Cornwall, England where he had received a lucrative offer. He was succeeded at the P.W. Gregory office by his brother Wilfred.

Captain Maurice Freeman had been “given command of a machine gun brigade in touch with the transportation operations on the western front” in February 1916. He was hospitalized at Boulogne stationary hospital and transferred to Havre in August 1916 but his condition was not serious.

In March 1917, he wrote to the Princeton Red Cross to acknowledge the gifts that he had been sent before the holidays in 1916.

He received a Military Cross after the battle of Messines Ridge. He was in command of the 69th machine gun company (Imperial Army) in August 1917.