Corporal John Alexander French

Service number QX1071
Birth Date 1914-07-15
Birth Place Australia: Queensland, Crows Nest
Death Date 1942-09-04
Death Place New Guinea1: Papua New Guinea, Papua, Milne Bay
Final Rank Corporal
Service Australian Army
Unit 2/9th Australian Infantry Battalion
Places
Conflict/Operation Second World War, 1939-1945
Gazettes Published in London Gazette in 1943-01-14
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1943-01-21
Description

John French (1914-1942) was typical of many single young men who had enlisted early in the war. He went on to serve in Britain, Egypt, and Libya. By the time that he was sent to Papua 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. He is buried in the Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery.

Rolls

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Roll of Honour:

    Unit
    2/9th Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Corporal
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    2/9th Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Corporal
    London Gazette
    14 January 1943 on page 319 at position 1
    Commonwealth Gazette
    21 January 1943 on page 142 at position 1

Timeline

Date of birth 15 July 1914
Date of death 04 September 1942