John Alexander French
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John Alexander French was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
He was 28 years old, and a Corporal in the 2/9th Battalion (Queensland), Australian Military Forces during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 4 September 1942 at Milne Bay, New Guinea, the advance of Corporal French's section was held up by fire from three enemy machine-gun posts, whereupon he ordered the section to take cover, advanced and silenced the first two posts with grenades. He then attacked the third post with a sub-machine-gun, and although obviously badly wounded, continued to advance. The enemy guns ceased to fire and the section pushed on to find that all members of their crews had been killed and that Corporal French had died in front of the third gun. His courageous action enabled the section to complete its task.
External links
- [Corporal J.A. French] in The Art of War exhibition at the UK National Archives
- [FRENCH J.A.]
- [Corporal J French] (photo, brief details)
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