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Show FIELD MARSHAL SIR JOHN FRENCH I The British commander in the European war. Field Marshal Sir John French, has had a long and Interesting Interest-ing record. As a boy he liked the navy and Joined H. M. S. Brittannla In 1866, serving as naval cadet and midshipman for four years. In 1874 he entered the Eighth Hussars, in which regiment he served through the Sudan campaign of 1884-85. In 1889 he rose to the rank of colonel and commanded the Nineteenth HuBsars until 1893, also acting as assistant adjutant ad-jutant general on the staff. In 1899 Genera French was transferred trans-ferred as temporary major general to the First cavalry brigade at Aldershot. Later in the same year he commanded troops In the first part of the Boer war, at Elandslaagte, and later commanded com-manded Sir G. White's cavalry at Reit-fontein Reit-fontein and Lombard's Kop. Before the Boer cordon had been completely drawn around White's army at Ladysmith, that commander fcilllpiilR MliftiHlllfQi detached French and his cavalry with orders to cut their way through and Join the main British force under Buller. From 1900 to the end of the war General French was lieutenant general, commanding the cavalry division. He was in the operations about Colesberg, commanded a cavalry force In the relief of Kimberley and was Lord Roberts' cavalry chief in the operations ending with the capture of Bloemfontein and Pretoria. He also commanded troops In Cape Colony in operations against the rebels. |