Name
Ernest William Cross
5 Jan 1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/09/1918
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
59650
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
12th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CITY OF PARIS CEMETERY, PANTIN
6. 19. 26.
France
Headstone Inscription
THE YEARS PASS BY AND NONE CAN TELL THE LOSS OF ONE WE LOVED SO WELL
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, Louth War Memorial, Louth, Lincolnshire.
Pre War
He was born on 5 Jan 1886 in Clerkenwell, London to William Charles Cross, a print machine minder and Jane (nee Lewis).
On the 1891 Census Ernest and his parents were living in Islington, London. In 1901 the family had moved to Fakenham, Norfolk and Ernest was an apprentice in the print trade.Ernest married Beatrice Wilson in Louth, Lincolnshire on 26 Dec 1908 giving his occupation as printer and his address as 36, Liverpool Road, St Albans. In 1911 he was living at Kimberley Road, St Albans with his wife and two daughters.
Wartime Service
Ernest had been enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery and later was transferred as Private 59650 to the 12th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (12th Battalion Machine Gun Corps was formed on 1 Mar 1918 from 35, 36, 37 Machine Gun and 235 Motor Machine Gun Companies (all already elements of No 12 (Eastern) Division.) Ernest died on 6 Sept 1918 while in Hospital in Paris.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £10 and arrears of £11 10s 2d paid to his widow.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
