Private Albert B Freemantle

Albert Freemantle enlisted with the Royal Artillery on 21 November 1938.

In 1943, aged 21, Private Freemantle volunteered for The Parachute Regiment and completed parachute training course 34 at Kabrit, Egypt.

He was posted to Support Company, 156 Parachute Battalion, 4th Parachute Brigade, and returned to the UK to prepare for the invasion of Europe in 1944.

On 18 September 1944, 156 Parachute Battalion, including Private Freemantle parachuted into Arnhem. The Support Company jumped late, and Private Freemantle landed north of the Drop Zone, in trees. He was rescued by members of the Battalion.

With seven others, Private Freemantle found an abandoned horse and cart. Loading it with equipment, German prisoners and captured weapons, they set out to the RV point. When crossing open ground, they came under fire from German forces. Their horse was hit, causing them to abandon the cart and run to the RV point on foot. It was only afterwards that they realised they had left their packs with the abandoned cart.

After the withdrawal to Oosterbeek, Private Freemantle was given a Vickers gun and directed fire against the infantry troops by the railway lines.

During the withdrawal to the Rhine, Private Freemantle was captured and became a Prisoner of War.

After he was liberated at the end of the war, he was discharged on 28 August 1946.

Albert Freemantle went on to become a commissioned officer in the British South Africa Police (BSAP), working full time until three weeks before his 81st birthday.