Harry Cross - Cambs Regt/Labour corps

[gem22]

I'm having a bit of trouble with the research on this chap.I believe he is buried in our local cemetery:- Littleport New cemetery. The headstone says 'In Memory Of', and has no other names on it. CWGC list him as 'honoured at' Littleport but no place of burial as such or where he was killed.

He enlisted in 1st Cambs and went to France on10/10/15 and has all 3 medals.

His MIC lists a service number for 1st Cambs and under that a number ,467268 for the Labour corps.

The MIC has no mention of when he was transferred to the Labour Corps or where he was serving.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for more info on this chap as I'm struggling to find the right Harry Cross on Ancestry

Garth

[stdape2011]

Well it says he died 16-11-18 and indeed is Buried in Littleport New Cemetery

Son of James William Cross, of Head Fen, Pymoor, Little Downham, Ely.

LAbour Corps 683rd Coy

Interesting on Forces War Records got number wrong, but shows only 2 Medals British and Victory. So as the 14 or 15 star not there maybe he joined 1917 into Labour Corps

as they were Formed in Jan 1917

Apparently 7 Buried there from 1st War and 3 from WW2 I suppose if you find others with names u can eliminate them from that grave. Also if you get in touch with the Cemetery people they should have a Grave Map

[spof]

Garth

The LC number was allocated between October 1917 and January 1918. The 683 Coy recorded on CWGC was an Employment Coy based at Peterborough.They did general garrison type duties.

Glen

[gem22]

Glen - Thanks for that. Ivor Lee's book doesn't mention 683 Coy so I had no idea where they were. Sorry Ivor just found it in 'research'. But raised in Reading so I now have to wonder why they moved to Peterboro'?

Now it would be nice to know when he returned from France and why?

Garth

[spof]

Garth

I found it in a list on page 338 of the book. Home service LC Coys were comprised of men of hte lowest physical classification so he must have either been pretty badly wounded or suffering an ailment that prevented him from even garrison service abroad.

As for his burial, does the grave reference A. 412.mean anything?

Glen

Well it says he died 16-11-18 and indeed is Buried in Littleport New Cemetery

Son of James William Cross, of Head Fen, Pymoor, Little Downham, Ely.

LAbour Corps 683rd Coy

Interesting on Forces War Records got number wrong, but shows only 2 Medals British and Victory. So as the 14 or 15 star not there maybe he joined 1917 into Labour Corps

as they were Formed in Jan 1917

Apparently 7 Buried there from 1st War and 3 from WW2 I suppose if you find others with names u can eliminate them from that grave. Also if you get in touch with the Cemetery people they should have a Grave Map

He did get a 15 Star and first entered France on 10/10/15.

[redescort]

He is shown as R H Cross on http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Cambridgeshire/Littleport.html could he have died in hospital in Cambridge.

Deaths Dec 1918
Cross Robert H. 21 Cambridge 3b 978

Ray

[gem22]

SPOF

Our posts crossed and I've amended the reference to Ivor's book.

I obviously didn't make myself clear in the first post.( see the passage you quoted)

When I looked at the CWGC entry it says he was 'honoured' in LIttleport New cemetery so I went up and viewed the grave - it's only 400 yards away from where I live. On his grave it says 'In memory of' which makes me think he is buried in Littleport but I was curious as to why there was a discrepancy with CWGC, 'Honoured in', and 'In memory of' mean different things to me.

But I was surprised that his MIC didn't show when he returned from France. I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that that sort of info would go on his MIC. I have no doubt that he served in France; the MIC is quite clear about that.

I suppose the info is somewhere; I just have to research more.

Garth

[gem22]

Ray

Very possible. Addenbrooke's being the only real hospital in the county back then. But if that reference comes from the BMD records he could have died pretty well anywhere in the county and Pymoor, his home, just gets into Cambridgeshire.

Which quarter did that reference come from? I may be able to get a look at his death certificate with that.

Garth

[redescort]

Which quarter did that reference come from?

Garth

December

Ray

[cliff brown]

Harry Cross was initially in 3/1st Cambs and went out with draft No 2 from that battalion to D company, 1/1st Cambs. He was wounded 31-7-17, sent to England 6-8-17. Later posted to Labour Corps.

Cliff

[gem22]

Cliff

Thanks for filling in that blank for me.

Do you perhaps know anything about the Labour Corps company he was posted to?

Garth

[cliff brown]

Hi Garth,

Nothing more on Labour Corps than stated in this thread.

Cliff

[gem22]

Cliff

Thanks for that anyway. However this morning I received a copy of his death certificate so now I can confirm he served as a labourer in 683 Agricultural company Labour Corps.

He died of influenza in 1st Great Eastern Hospital, Burrell's Walk, Cambridge at the age of 21.

I feel really good about filling in this puzzle and am greatly indebted to members of this forum who produced answers to pieces of the puzzle. Praise the power of the internet.

The information I can put in my project is so different to what previous researchers had produced that simply said 'RH Cross died 16/11/18 ?KIA.

Garth

[cliff brown]

Always happy to help.

Cliff