With regard to cover the French must get a wake-up call (8)
I believe the answer is:
reveille
'a wake-up call' is the definition.
(military wake-up call played on an instrument)
'with regard to cover the french' is the wordplay.
'with regard' becomes 're' ('re' means regarding or about).
'to cover' becomes 'veil' (I've seen this in another clue).
'the french' becomes 'le' ('the' in French).
're'+'veil'+'le'='REVEILLE'
'must get' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for reveille that I've seen before include "Early morning sound in the barracks" , "Army waking signal" , "call to start" , "Signal to awaken soldiers at daybreak" , "Army bugle call to get out of bed" .)