Private Albert Edward Freeman

Private (Army).

Died at Saskatchewan hospital of paralytic dementia caused by syphilis.

Freeman enlisted (13737) in the 5th Battalion on the outbreak of the war. He got to England but was sent back to Halifax and discharged as unfit early in 1915 because of defective vision. Freeman re-enlisted at Yorkton eight months later and wound up serving a year and a half with the CFC in France. He was discharged a second time at Regina on April fools day 1919 with an unspecified sickness, likely the syphilis that killed him two years later.

While Freeman appears on the CWGC site, VAC has ruled that he does not merit inclusion in Canada's Books of Remembrance so he is not in CVWM. Albert left a sister, Mary Ann Valiant at New Market, Suffolk, and a cousin, Miss A.E. George at Yorkton so there were few to mourn his passing. It seems churlish to deny him recognition in our national memorial, certainly there are thousands of names therein who contributed far less to king and country.