Vandals trash wreath laid in honour of Milton Keynes' famous boy soldier

Mayor Andrew Geary visited MK Rose on the official Albert French Day, which is June 15 - the day he was killed in WWI battle at the age of 16.

The mayor and his wife Lisa laid a wreath at the pillar devoted to the New Bradwell-born solider, who lied about his age so he could serve his country.

But when the couple returned to Campbell Park to unveil a new pillar for World Refugee Day, they found Albert's wreath had been trashed,

Andrew said: "It was a source of sadness to the mayoress and myself that the wreath which we had laid at the pillar to commemorate Rifleman Albert French last Monday had been vandalised and broken beyond repair, causing a real mess."

He added: "This is completely uncalled for and doesn’t represent what we are about as a community. I’m grateful to those who helped the mayoress and myself clear up the mess so that it didn’t interfere with Saturday's event. And please, if you see any such acts of vandalism, report them to the Parks Trust."

Albert Edward Mortlock French was born on 22 June 1899 and was an apprentice engineer at the Wolverton Railway Works when he left home to enlist in The Kings Royal Rifle Corps in 1915.

.Albert lived with his sister Mabel and two brothers Will and George, in Young Street, Wolverton. Albert wrote home regularly to his sister Mabel and the rest of the family.

He left for France in May 1916 and was killed just six weeks later on 15 June 1916, a week before his 17th birthday, in a part of the British Front Line sector in Belgium near Ploegsteert Wood, just north of the French border.

Yesterday (Monday) the mayor hosted a "small but dignified" gathering of dignitaries at the Civic Offices to raise the flag to mark the beginning of Armed Forces Week.

He said: "This is usually a much bigger event in our civic calendar involving MK’s own Regiment, The Rifles, numerous schools and other invited guests. Due to the Covid 19 restrictions, however, we sadly could not do that this year."

In attendance were the Lord Lieutenant Sir Henry Aubrey Fletcher, Lt Colonel Simon Wilkinson, County Colonel from the Rifles, Staff Sgt Johanna Hyrcak of the Royal Army Medical Corps and also our lead person on the Armed Forces Covenant, Armed Forces Champion from MKC Cllr Paul Trendall, outgoing Armed Forces Champion Cllr Terry Baines, and MK Council Chief Executive Michael Bracey.

The Armed Forces Flag will fly outside the Civic Offices for the whole of this week.

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