John Alexander "Jack" French
"At Milne Bay New Guinea, on the afternoon of 4 September 1942, a
company of Australian Infantry battalion attacked a Japanese position
where it encountered terrific rifle and machine-gun fire. The advance
of the section, of which Corporal
French was in command, was held up by fire from three enemy machine-gun
posts, whereupon Corporal French, ordering his section to take cover,
advanced and silenced one of the posts with grenades. He returned to
his section for more grenades and again advanced and silenced the second
post. Armed with a Thompson sub-machine gun, he then attacked the
third post, firing from the hip as he went forward. He was seen to be badly wounded by fire from this post, but he
continued to advance. Enemy guns then ceased fire and his section
pushed on to find that all the members of the three enemy gun crews had
been killed, and that Corporal French had died in front of the third gun
pit.
By his cool courage and disregard of his own personal safety, this non-commissioned officer saved members of his section from heavy casualties and was responsible for the successful conclusion of the attack."
From Cpl. French's Victoria Cross citation, awarded on August 29, 1942.
May you be at peace,
Brian & Melonie
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