ERNEST CROSS 

River Weaver Navigation Minutes, Volume 22 Page 105 - named in the Engineers Annual report of the 23rd Nov. 1917 saying that he had been killed. Ernest Cross was with the 1st Platoon, 2nd Batt. Cheshire Regiment, Service No 10792.

C.W.C.G. record an Ernest Cross with the 2nd Bn. Cheshire Reg’t. Pte. Service No 10792. Died 3rd Oct. 1915. Remembered on the Loos Memorial, France. Son of Alfred & Clara Cross, of 185 London Rd., Leftwich, husband of Mary Cross of Chester Rd. Hartford, Northwich. Cheshirebmd record the Marriage of an Ernest Cross/Mary Spruce in 1909 at St. Wilfrid, Davenham.

An Ernest Cross is remembered on several WW1 Memorials; Northwich, St. Helens Northwich and Davenham. It is assumed that is one Ernest Cross.

Northwich Guardian 18th Feb. 1916. MISSING SINCE LOOS.

The friends of Private Ernest Cross, a Hartford man, belonging to the 3rd Cheshire Regiment, are making anxious inquires as to his fate. He has been reported missing since October 3rd last after taking part in the battle at Loos. We give this information in the hope that any of his comrades in the same regiment may be able to say whether he was killed in the action, wounded or taken prisoner.

Prior to the war Private Cross was in the employ of the Weaver Navigation Trustees at Northwich and was an Army Reservist. He has a wife and two children, who live near Hartford Station. Mrs Cross is a daughter of Mr. Spruce foreman Plate Layer on the L. and N.W. Railway at Hartford. The last letter which Mrs. Cross received from her husband was dated September 26th and she received it on October 5th. In it he stated that they has been kept so busy that he had had very little time for letter writing. At that time he was apparently all right and was hoping to get an early leave from the trenches so that he could come home for a few days, to his wife and children. He mentioned that a member of the regiment, on returning from furlough, met someone in the London train who inquired how he (Cross) was going on but he had no idea who it was. He added “Its very cheerful to us when a pal returns from England and says So-and-So was inquiring about you.” It shows that one is not forgotten by one’s friends.

Since the receipt of this letter Mrs Cross has had no news of her husband, with the exception of a letter from someone in the same regiment who informed her that they went into action together at Loos but in the course of the heavy fighting they were separated. Private Cross is 30 years of age and he had worked for the Weaver Navigation since he was 14 years of age. About six years ago he was transferred to Weston Point. He went out to France in January 1915.

Northwich Guardian 17th November 1916 MISSING; NOW REPORTED KILLED.

More that a year has elapsed since Mrs Cross, of Chester Road, Hartford was informed that her husband, Private Ernest Cross, of the Cheshire Regiment, was amongst the missing. The news came on October 3 1915. A few days ago she received a communication from the military authorities, stating that her husband must be regarded as having been killed on that date.

Northwich Guardian 8th June 1917 NORTHWICH AIRMAN’S TROPHIES

A long article on the brother of Ernest Cross, Mr. Thomas H. Cross, who was in the Royal Naval Air Services. The article also mentions other family members enlisted and working for the war effort. Private Fred Cross at the front with the Durham Light Infantry, Private Harold Cross, who enlisted at 18 has spent three birthdays in the trenches, Private Robert Cross was brought back from training to work on munitions and two sisters are on work in connection with shell making.

Research Bob Heaton