Biographical history of French: 1 July 1900, Born 1913-16, Cadet at R.N. College Osborne, Dartmouth and Keyham. 1916, Midshipman in HMS Emperor of India in Grand Fleet 1917, Sub-Lieutenant and First Lieutenant of HMS Nith 1919-20, Undergraduate at Selwyn College, Cambridge 1920, Technical courses in navigation, gunnery etc. 1920-22, HMS Orion and HMS Valiant 1922, Specialised in Long Navigation Course 1923-29, Navigating Officer of various HM Ships on Home and Africa Station, including Cadet -Training Ship 1926, Advanced Navigation Specialist Course 1926-28, Teaching and Directing Staff of HM Navigation School 1929, Navigating Officer of cruiser HMS Lowestoft, Africa Station 1930-31, R.N. Staff College, Greenwich Tactical and Ship Handling Course 1931-34, Navigating Officer aircraft carrier HMS Glorious, Mediterranean Station 1934-36, Commander, Fleet Navigating Officer and Staff Officer Operations, American and West Indies Station 1937-39, Member of the Directing and Teaching Staff, R.N. Staff College, Greenwich 1939-40, Executive Officer and 2nd in Command HMS Furious, Norwegian Campaign and Atlantic Operations 1940-42, Captain, Senior Naval Member of Executive Planning Section of Joint Planning Staff under Chief of Staff's Committee. 1942-43, Commanding cruiser HMS Hawkins, Eastern Fleet in Indian Ocean 1943-44, Commodore, director of Training Royal Indian Navy 1944-46, Deputy Director of Plans, Admiralty 1946, Imperial Defence Course 1944-47, Chief of Staff to Naval Commander in Field Marshal Lord Montgomery's major staff exercise "Spearhead" 1947-48, Commanding HMS Norfolk, Flagship of East Indies Station 1949, Tactical School 1950, Retired from active service. Working for Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty 1951, C.B.E. 1951-54, created Commodore and re-employed as Chief of Staff and Commander- in-Chief, Indian Navy 1954-62, Admiralty Regional Officer for S. W. Region, Bristol 1962-78, In Hydrographic Department revising Sailing Directive (16 volumes) 1 July 1978, Retired from the employment of the Royal Navy on his 78th birthday