Lot 5548

Description

Cigarette case to Australian VC recipient, WWII, in nickel silver (? hallmarks illegible), large size (8x14cm), lid decoratively engraved and across the blank centre section is roughly impressed and inscribed, 'QX1071/J.A.French'. Well used and worn, very good.

John Alexander French, hairdresser, age 25, born at Crows Nest, via Toowoomba, Qld; Enl.22Oct1939 and to camp at Redbank, Brisbane, Qld; Emb.05Apr1940 with 2/9Bn, 18th Bde, 7th Div; to camp Salisbury Plains, England 17Jun1940; Emb.Nov1940 for Middle East; to Cpl 22Dec1941; ops in late 1941 including capture of Giarabub and Siege of Tobruk in Libya; to camp Syria Nov1942; RTA Mar1942; Emb.Aug1942 for Milne Bay, NG with B Coy 2/9Bn; KIA in attack east of Buna 04Sep1942; buried Milne Bay War Cemetery.

Awarded posthumous Victoria Cross for most conspicuous bravery in operations in the South-West Pacific Area (CAG No.14 21/1/1943). Citation reads,
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 Buna 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 he then attacked the third post, firing from the hip as he went forward. He was seen to be badly hit by 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.

With research.