The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest military decoration awarded
for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed
forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire
territories.
The following is an excerpt from the plaque at the rest area,
and is based on the original citation,
John Alexander French VC QX 1071 Corporal John Alexander FRENCH
2/9th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF 4th September 1942, at
Milne Bay, New Guinea
At Milne Bay on the afternoon of the 4th 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 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 hit by the fire
from this post, but he continued to advance. The enemy gun then
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 his section from heavy casualties and
was responsible for the successful conclusion of the attack.
(London Gazette: 14th January, 1943.)
John Alexander FRENCH was born in Crow's Nest, 28 miles north of
Toowoomba (Queensland) on 15th July 1914. He is buried in the Port
Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua.
FTF honours go to
JABs
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