Lieutenant-General Sir Ian Freeland GBE KCB DSO
(The Royal Norfolk Regiment)
Commanded 1/5th Bn The Queen's Royal Regiment from August 1944 to June 1945. Ian Henry Freeland was born on 14th September 1912 and educated at the RMC Sandhurst. He was commissioned in The Royal Norfolk Regiment in September 1932. In 1940 he became adjutant and from February 1941 to October 1943 served on the staff in various capacities including Brigade Major. He commanded 7th Bn The Royal Norfolk Regiment until it was disbanded in Normandy in 1944. He then commanded 1/5th Bn The Queen's Royal Regiment in North Western Europe from August 1944 to June 1945. For his fine leadership of the Battalion he was awarded the DSO.
From June 1945 to April 1946 was a Colonel GS and from April to August 1946 was second-in-command of an Armoured Brigade. He then held further staff appointments, including GSO I Staff College, Camberley from January 1951 to January 1954. From 1954 to 1956 he commanded 1st Bn The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and from April 1956 to December 1957 commanded an Infantry Brigade in BAOR. He attended the Imperial Defence College from January 1958 to December 1959 and was Brigadier 'Q' Ops War Office from January 1960 to December 1961. From March 1961 to June 1963 he was GOC East Anglian District and 54th Infantry Division (TA).
He was GOC East Africa Command from November to December 1963 and GOC British Troops in Kenya from December 1963 to November 1964. From December 1964 to February 1968 he was Vice Adjutant General and from April to December 1968 Deputy Chief of General Staff.
From June 1969 to February 1971 he was GOC Northern Ireland. He was appointed Deputy Colonel of The Royal Anglian Regiment on 1st September 1964 and Colonel of that Regiment on 1st October 1971.
He retired from the Army on 21st June 1971.
In 1947 he was made a Chevalier of the Order of the Crown with Palm and was awarded the Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm (both Belgian Orders). In 1964 he was made a CB, in 1968 a KCB and in 1971 a CBE.In 1972 he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant (Norfolk) and in 1978 Vice Lieutenant (Norfolk).
He died on 2nd July 1979.
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