Vincent Cluge FRENCH 1864-1956

Vincent Cluge French in Court uniform

a drawing by Vincent (click to enlarge)

Vincent was the youngest son of Charles John FRENCH and Mary Anne (BLACKBURN).
and great-grandson of Carl Hans Paul KLUGE aka Charles FRENCH and 2XG-grandson of Johann Gottlob KLUGE, stable-master of Ahrensburg Castle.
Incidentally, he was also the 4XG grandson of Peter COLLINSON F.R.S., the famous English botanist.

Vincent's father Charles John was an Assistant in the Judicial Department of the North West Province (India) when he married Mary Anne in 1842 at Agra, Bengal,
and Assistant in the Office of the Chief Commissioner of Oudh in 1857 when the "Indian Mutiny" occurred.

Vincent was born at Simla in 1854 and lived there until his father died in 1885.
Britain annexed Upper Burma in 1886 and Vincent served in the British Fontier Expeditions in Burma until 1892 receiving the India General Service Medal 1854-95 with 2 clasps.
He became an engineer in the Colonial Civil Service.
In November 1891 Vincent married Geraldine LITSTER at Simla, and six children were born
    Archibald Charles born 1893 in Madras, Captain in WW1. 2 daughters.
    Percival Vincent, born 1894 in Madras, 2/Lieut. died 1916 of wounds WW1.
    Murial Geraldine born 1895 in Madras, never married, died 1949 in London.
    Dorris Kathleen born 1898 in Bombay. 1 daughter Betty Lou. Died 1995 age 97 in England
    Beryl Gladys born 1900 Sitabuldi Bengal, 1 daughter Caroline, 4 grandchildren. Beryl was a Casting Director at Paramount.
    Elsie Vera born 1902 Najpur in Bengal, died same year.
In 1900 Vincent was examiner, P. W. D. Accounts at Sitabuldi, Nagpur, Bengal
In 1901-1912 he was Captain, Bombay Volunteer Rifles (infantry)
In 1910 he was Deputy Accountant General of Bengal, and in 1914 Accountant General of Post & Telegraph.
Click to see descendant chart
In I915 he was deployed as Colonel with the Indian Expeditionary Force A in Europe who took part in the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Bazentin, the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, the advance to the Hindenburg Line and finally the Battle of Cambrai.[33] (Wikipedia).
He received the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Interestingly, Vincent would have been fighting against some third cousins!

Indian Cavalry in a French village

Indian Forces Memorial, Ypres

Indian troops manning Hotchkiss gun in Iraq

In 1918 he was with the Indian Expeditionary Force D to Mespotamia (Iraq). After the Battle of Sharqat in October, the Turkish forces surrendered and the Armistice of Mudros was signed.[ The Mesopotamian campaign was largely an Indian Army campaign
In 1920 he retired to England, and died in 1956 at Southwark, London, age 91
He was survived by 3 children, 3 grand children, and several Great grandchildren.

compiled by email

July 2014