Corporal JOHN ALEXANDER FRENCH
Australian Infantry
A.I.F. 2/9 Bn.
Died 04 September 1942
Age 28 years old
Photographer: Unknown
- Country of Service Australian
- Awards Victoria Cross
- Additional Info Son of Albert and Lucy French, of Crows Nest, Queensland. His brother Gordon Albert French also fell.
- Personal Inscription THE LOVE THAT PAYS THE PRICE MAKES UNDAUNTED THE FINAL SACRIFICE
- Additional Citation note
The following details are given in the London Gazette of January 12th, 1943: At Milne Bay, New Guinea, on September 4th 1942, during an attack by an Australian Infantry battalion on the Japanese position east of the Buna Mission, the section commanded by Corporal French was held up by terrific fire from three enemy machine-gun posts. Corporal French, ordering his men to take cover, himself advanced and silenced two with grenades. Then, armed with a sub-machine-gun, he attacked the third post. Although badly wounded by enemy fire he continued to advance until it, too, was silenced. His section pushed on, to find that 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 safety, this non-commissioned officer saved his section from heavy casualties and was responsible for the successful conclusion of the attack.
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