Cpl John Alexander French
Australian Army, 2/9th Infantry Battalion

Background
Born in Crows Nest, Queensland.

Wartime History
John French enlisted early in the war and served in Britain, Egypt, and Libya. By the time that he was sent to Papua with the 2/9th Battalion, in August 1942, he was an experienced infantry non-commissioned officer.

In early September French’s company came across Japanese positions near Goroni and was held up by intense fire from three machine-gun posts. Ordering his own section to take cover, French successfully assaulted two positions with grenades. He then attacked the third with a sub-machine gun but finally fell dead in front of the enemy gun pit.

Victoria Cross Citation "At Milne Bay on the afternoon of 4 September 1942, a company of an Australian infantry battalion attacked the Japanese position east of the K.B. Mission where it encountered terrific rifle and machine-gun fire. The advance of the section of which corporal French was in command was held up a 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 Thomson submachine-gun, he then attacked the third post, firing from the hip as he went forward. He was seen to be badly hit by the fire from this post, but he continued to advance. The enemy gun ceased to fire and his section pushed on to find that all 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 the members of the section from heavy casualties and was responsible for the successful conclusion of the attack." (The London Gazette, 12 January 1943)

Memorials
French is buried in the Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery at A2. E. 16.

References
WW2 Nominal Roll - Cpl John Alexander French
The London Gazette - 12 January 1943
CWGC - John Alexander French

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?