Wilfred French
Admiral Sir Wilfred Frankland French | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 November 1880 |
| Died | 6 December 1958 (aged 78) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1890s – 1939 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
|
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George |
Admiral Sir Wilfred Frankland French, KCB, CMG (9 November 1880 – 6 December 1958) was an officer in the British Royal Navy.
French entered the
At the start of the Second World War, French was Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands (ACOS). On 14 October 1939, the anchorage of Scapa Flow was infiltrated by the German submarine U-47, which sank the battleship HMS Royal Oak with the loss of 833 lives. The official report into the disaster cast blame for the weak defences at Scapa on French. Despite having earlier warned of the dangers of attack, and offering to bring a small boat or submarine into the anchorage to prove his point, French was forced to retire from active service, and was posted to Washington as an administrative and maintenance representative, serving there until 1944.[4]
References
- ^ "No. 27422". The London Gazette. 4 April 1902. p. 2281.
- ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36770. London. 17 May 1902. p. 12.
- ^ Bevand, Paul. "Biography of Admiral Sir Wilfred Franklin French, K.C.B., C.B., C.M.G." HMS Hood Association. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020.
- ^ Weaver, pp. 120–123
Sources
- Weaver, H.J. (1980). Nightmare at Scapa Flow: The truth about the sinking of HMS Royal Oak. England: Cressrelles. ISBN 0-85956-025-2.
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