Airborne Assault MuseumArticle
Northern Ireland (Operation Banner)
A brief honeymoon as peace keepers between two warring communities locked in civil unrest descended into a virtual civil war ...
Nicholas French was commissioned into The Parachute Regiment in August 2002 after completing officer cadet training at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was posted to the 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA).As Officer in Charge of 5 Platoon (Pln), B Company (Coy) and saw deployment with 5 Pln on Operation (Op) Telic 1 in 2003 and Op Crucial in June 2005.
Captain French then commanded Mortar Pln, 3 PARA during Op Herrick IV. For his actions in Kajaki he received a Joint Commanders Commendation.
On return from Afghanistan he spent 2 years as an Instructor at the Mortar Division, Support Weapons School.
Captain French then became Adjutant of 3 PARA until promotion to A/Maj and command of Support Coy.
Late 2010 he commanded E Company (an improvised ground holding company), 3 PARA who were attached to 2 PARA’s Battlegroup for Op Herrick XIII.
After returning from Afghanistan Substantive Major French attended the Intermediate Command and Staff Course (Land) (ICSC(L)) at The Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC).
Major French was then posted to the Infantry Trials and Development Unit in Warminster.
Service History
- 2002 3 PARA (Lieutenant)
- 2005 3 PARA (Captain)
- 2007 MORTAR DIVISION, SWS (Captain)
- 2009 3 PARA (Captain)
- 2010 3 PARA (Acting Major)
- 2012 ICSC(L) (Major)
- 2012 INFANTRY TRIALS AND DEVELOPMENT UNIT (Major)
Decorations
OSM, OP TELIC
2003
GSM 62, NI CLASP
2005
OSM, OP HERRICK
2006
