| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Ted Cross was born in Beverley in the spring of 1893. He was one of seven children born to George Cross (1848-1920) and his wife Mary Ann (nee Fits) (1864-1900). His father originally came from Oxfordshire whilst his mother was born in Philipstown in Ireland. They had married at St Mary’s in February 1875. Little is known of Ted’s upbringing but he like his father and two brothers became a labourer at Hodgson’s tannery in Beverley. The family lived at 125 Keldgate but by the time of WW1 had moved to Trinity Lane.
Ted served as a private in the 5th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment in WW1. The 5th were nicknamed the Beverley Terriers since many local men served as territorials in this regiment. Most agreed to serve abroad and went to France in April 1915 and took part in many actions in Belgium in 1915 and early 1916. Given Ted’s service number of 3630 he was probably a territorial soldier who had to volunteer for overseas service; his medal records indicate that he wasn’t awarded the 1914-15 Star which was given for service abroad in those years. He probably went to France with the 5th in 1916 and took part in actions on the Somme. On October 27th 1916 the 5th were active in support at Butte de Warlencourt and on Gird Line. He was killed in action in unknown circumstances and his body was not recovered. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial on the Somme. He was awarded the War and Victory Medals. A “In Memoriam” was placed in the Beverley Guardian of November 4th 1916. Ted is commemorated on the Hengate Memorial and on Hodgson’s Roll of Honour but not on the East Riding Memorial in the Minster.
Ted’s older brother George Cross (WW1 Lives 1273), born in 1885, was also killed in action on the Somme on September 25th 1916, almost a month before the death of his younger brother.
Includes information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |