Alfred Kirke Ffrench
Encyclopedia
Alfred Kirke Ffrench VC
(25 February 1835 - 29 December 1872) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
Ffrench was twenty-two years old, and a lieutenant in the 53rd Regiment of Foot
(later The King's Shropshire Light Infantry
) of the British Army
during the Indian Mutiny, when he performed the deed on 16 November 1857 at Lucknow
, India
for which he was awarded the V.C.:
He later reached the rank of captain
. Ffrech took ill whilst serving in Bermuda and died in London. The officers of his regiment wore black arm bands upon the notice of his death.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at The King's Shropshire Light Infantry Museum in Shrewsbury Castle
, Shropshire
, England.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(25 February 1835 - 29 December 1872) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Ffrench was twenty-two years old, and a lieutenant in the 53rd Regiment of Foot
53rd Regiment of Foot
The 53rd Regiment of Foot was a British Army regiment founded in 1755. In 1881, as part of the Childers Reforms, it became The King's Shropshire Light Infantry Regiment. Its traditions are currently held by the 3rd battalion of The Light Infantry....
(later The King's Shropshire Light Infantry
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army, formed in 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. The KSLI was amalgamated with three other county light infantry regiments in 1968 to became part of The Light Infantry...
) of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the Indian Mutiny, when he performed the deed on 16 November 1857 at Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for which he was awarded the V.C.:
He later reached the rank of captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
. Ffrech took ill whilst serving in Bermuda and died in London. The officers of his regiment wore black arm bands upon the notice of his death.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at The King's Shropshire Light Infantry Museum in Shrewsbury Castle
Shrewsbury Castle
Shrewsbury Castle is a red sandstone castle in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. It stands on a hill in the neck of the meander of the River Severn on which the town originally developed. The castle is situated directly above Shrewsbury railway station....
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Brompton Cemetery)