Hugh French
Special Sergeant

Hugh French

Felonious
End of Watch February 15, 1922
The Vigil Panel 212 ›
Gender Male

Incident

In the late afternoon of 15th February 1922, Special Sergeant French was off duty, reading a newspaper at the counter of his shop, when shots were fired from the lower end of Old Lodge Road, Belfast.

Some bullets went through the window of Hugh’s shop and one struck him in the head.

He died soon after being admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-GB-USC-095FAFDA
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Sergeant French served with the Ulster Special Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Sergeant French.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location NIR
Platform Identity usco.bfs.nir.gb.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 15, 1922
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Homicide - Shot

Special Sergeant Hugh French is one of 17,558 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,585 officers honored here.

In NIR, 422 of 599 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.5% of this state's fallen. That is 16.6 percentage points above the national rate of 53.9%.

At Ulster Special Constabulary, 56 of 99 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 56.6% of this agency's fallen.

Ulster Special Constabulary
56
of 99 officers
56.6% Felonious
NIR — Statewide
422
of 599 officers
70.5% Felonious
Nationwide
17,558
of 32,585 officers
53.9% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Hugh French's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,558 (53.9%)
Accident
10,094 (31%)
Illness
3,037 (9.3%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
334 (1%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)

How Hugh French Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Hugh French is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909