James Freel was born on the 13th December 1919, one of nine children. He joined the Royal Navy at H.M.S. Ganges as a Boy Seaman on the 9th June 1936.

After serving in three "big ships" in succession, the battleships Revenge, Royal Sovereign and Rodney, he volunteered in May 1942 for "Special Duties".

This turned out to be training as a Charioteer, more commonly known as "Human Torpedoes".

After training in Scotland, the Charioteers moved to Malta to prepare for Operation Principle, against Axis shipping in Italian ports. On the 29th December 1942, Freel and his Number 1 Sub Lieutenant Rodney Dove RNVR with Chariot number XVI embarked in the submarine Trooper to attack shipping in Palermo, Sicily, where they sank the troopship Vimnale (8,500 tons). Having made their way ashore, they where eventually apprehended by Italian Police who handed them over to the military and they where transferred to P.O.W. camps.

Taking advantage of the chaos following the Italian capitulation on the 9th of September 1943, he escaped and joined the local Partizans with whom he stayed until December 1943 when he rejoined the Allies and was returned to the U.K. On the 18th April 1944, James Freel was gazetted for the award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.

James Freel left the Royal Navy on the 6th January 1950 on completion of his twelve years of service. On the 14th April 1950, he signed on the supply ship RRS Discovery II for its annual voyage to the British Antarctic Territories. He signed off in Melbourne, Victoria Australia on the 2nd January 1951, where he stayed until his untimely death on the 13th November 1963 at the age of 46.