AUSTRALIAN’S V.C.

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 95, 16 January 1943, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN’S V.C.

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) CANBERRA, January 14. The first Victoria Cross won in the New Guinea campaign has been awarded posthumously to Corporal John Alexander French, late of Queensland. At Milne Bay, in September, Corporal French, single-handed, wiped out the crews of three enemy machinegun posts. He was killed in completing his exploit. The award has been announced by the Governor-General, Lord Gowrie. The citation states that when attacking an Australian infantry section led by French he encountered terrific fire from three enemy machinegun posts. French advanced and silenced one of the posts with grenades. He returned for more grenades and then went forward and silenced the second post. Armed with a tommygun he finally attacked the third post firing from the hip as he went forward. Though badly wounded he continued his advance. The enemy gun ceased firing and when French’s section went forward it found that all the members of the three gun crews had been killed and that French had died in front of the third gun pit. “By his cool courage and disregard for personal safety this non-commissioned officer saved the members of his own section from heavy casualties and was responsible for the attack being successfully concluded,” the citation adds. Corporal French left Australia in May, 1040. and served in England and the Middle East. He was for five months in Tobruk. He returned to Australia last Mav and went to New Guinea in August. This is the second Victoria Cross won in the war against Japan. The first was won by Lieut.-Colonel C. G. W. Anderson in Malaya.