WW2 MENTION IN DESPATCHES CASUALTY GROUP

Condolence Slip ' T/Major H.G. French'

With Royal Engineers' Shoulder Titles, lanyard, and middle eastern ring with a camel design. Copy photographs of the recipient are included.

Henry Gill French was born in Middlesbrough, 1916, the son of Henry and Lily French. 

Henry married Dorothy Marguerite French in the winter of 1940 and resided in Malton, North Yorkshire. On the 30th of December 1941, he was commissioned as a second Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers.

French saw service in Africa with the 1st Army and later served in Italy, where he served as a Temporary Major in the 15th Airfield Construction Group. 

He was sadly killed in action on the 30th of July 1944 and was buried in the Florence War Cemetery. He was recommended for the Military Cross, but this was downgraded to a Mention in Despatches. The original recommendation gives insight into the type of duties French undertook. 

'Major French has been employed on forward landing ground reconnaissance and setting out. He has always shown a resolute determination and fearlessness in getting onto airfield sites with the forward troops to complete his reconnaissance so that work could commence at the earliest possible time. Major French invariably covered captured airfields to select the strip alignment prior to mine clearance, thus reducing the area to be swept initially and so lessening the time before the aircraft could fly in. On one occasion, he was blown up in his vehicle, but by his determined devotion to duty got back to his unit within three days of admission to the hospital. His complete disregard of personal safety on airfields under shellfire had a very material effect on the men working under him. His fearlessness, imperturbability, cheerful enthusiasm, and very marked devotion to duty have been a very real inspiration to the whole group'