Wilfred Frankland French

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.

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

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

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

On 15 November, 1920, French was given a temporary appointment on the Naval Staff's Gunnery Division under Captain F. C. Dreyer, 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. In 1929, it was recorded that his work in employing the ship's secondary batteries in an anti-aircraft role was noted with satisfaction.

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

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.

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

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

See Also

• H.M.S. Centurion at the Battle of Jutland
• Wikipedia

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/142/294.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Alldin U. Moore	Assistant to the Director of Naval Ordnance 1 Sep, 1913 – 2 Jul, 1915	Succeeded by Alldin U. Moore
Preceded by ?	In Command, Osea Naval Base 20 Mar, 1918 – 15 May, 1919	Succeeded by George J. Todd
Preceded by Henry K. Kitson	Captain of H.M.S. Centaur 1 Jan, 1921 – 31 Dec, 1922	Succeeded by Charles D. Burke
Preceded by Cecil V. Usborne	Deputy Director of the Gunnery Division 10 Mar, 1923 – 15 Feb, 1925	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 – 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 – 15 Dec, 1932	Succeeded by Ragnar M. Colvin
Preceded by The Hon. Matthew R. Best	Admiral Superintendent, Malta Dockyard 26 Dec, 1933 – c. 24 Jan, 1937	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 – 20 Dec, 1939	Succeeded by Thomas H. Binney