Wilfred Frankland French

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Admiral SIR Wilfred Frankland French, K.C.B., C.M.G., Retired (9 November, 1880 – 6 December, 1958) was an officer in the Royal Navy during the First World War.

Life & Career

French was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 April, 1902.[1]

He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1912.[2]

French was executive officer of the dreadnought battleship Centurion at the Battle of Jutland.[3]

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1917.[4]

On 15 November, 1920, French was given a temporary appointment on the Naval Staff's Gunnery Division under Captain F. C. Dreyer,[5] but in December, he was appointed in command of the light cruiser Centaur.

He was appointed in command of the battlecruiser Hood on 21 May, 1927.[6] In 1929, it was recorded that his work in employing the ship's secondary batteries in an anti-aircraft role was noted with satisfaction.[7]

French was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 25 May, 1929.[8]

In 1932, there was a Court of Enquiry into discontent in the Marine Detachment in H.M.S. Warspite. The Admiralty faulted French for forwarding his report on the matter before Major E. M. C. Parker had had sufficient opportunity to answer charges made against him in the affair.[9]

French was promoted to Vice-Admiral on 11 February, 1934.[10]

French was placed on the Retired List on 21 October, 1938 and promoted to Admiral (retired) on 3 May, 1939.[11]

See Also

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Alldin U. Moore
Assistant to the Director of Naval Ordnance
1 Sep, 1913[12] – 2 Jul, 1915[13]
Succeeded by
Alldin U. Moore
Preceded by
?
In Command, Osea Naval Base
20 Mar, 1918[14][15] – 15 May, 1919[16]
Succeeded by
George J. Todd
Preceded by
Henry K. Kitson
Captain of H.M.S. Centaur
1 Jan, 1921[17] – 31 Dec, 1922[18]
Succeeded by
Charles D. Burke
Preceded by
Cecil V. Usborne
Deputy Director of the Gunnery Division
10 Mar, 1923[19] – 15 Feb, 1925[20]
Succeeded by
Leonard S. Holbrook
Preceded by
Cecil V. Usborne
Vice-President of the Chemical Warfare Committee
15 Feb, 1925 – 1 Feb, 1927
Succeeded by
Raymond Fitzmaurice
Preceded by
Harold O. Reinold
Captain of H.M.S. Hood
21 May, 1927[21][22] – 13 Jan, 1930
Succeeded by
Julian F. C. Patterson
Preceded by
Sir William C. M. Nicholson
as Vice-Admiral Commanding, Second Battle Squadron
Rear-Admiral Commanding, Second Battle Squadron
25 Apr, 1931[23] – 15 Dec, 1932[24]
Succeeded by
Ragnar M. Colvin
Preceded by
The Hon. Matthew R. Best
Admiral Superintendent, Malta Dockyard
26 Dec, 1933[25]c. 24 Jan, 1937[26]
Succeeded by
Wilbraham T. R. Ford
Preceded by
Sir Robert J. Prendergast
as Vice-Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands
Flag Officer Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands
25 Aug, 1939[27] – 20 Dec, 1939[28]
Succeeded by
Thomas H. Binney

Footnotes

  1. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  2. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  3. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  4. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 1817.
  6. Taylor. The Battlecruiser Hood. p. 230.
  7. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  8. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  9. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  10. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  11. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  12. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  13. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  14. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  15. The Navy List. (February, 1920). p. 819.
  16. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  17. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  18. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  19. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 203.
  20. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 203.
  21. The Navy List. (February, 1929). p. 245.
  22. Taylor. The Battlecruiser Hood. p. 230.
  23. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  24. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  25. The Navy List. (October, 1935). p. 270.
  26. Successor assumed command that day. Ford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45. f. 180.
  27. French Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/199. f. 205.
  28. Superseded that day. Binney Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/9. f. 412.