Gordon Vidgen Cross

Gordon Vidgen Cross

BLSL PH224 with Niece Betty Harris
AWM PO3236.232
Personal Information
Date of Birth	Not known
Place of Birth	Brighton, Victoria
Death	10 Aug 1964
Place of Death	Armadale, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	30 years, 10 months
Description	5' 7½" (1.71m) tall; weight 141 lbs (64 kg); fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair
Occupation	storeman
Religion	Church of England
Address	Perth road, Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother Mrs Evaline Cross
Military Information
Reg Number	5350
Date of Enlistment	17 Jan 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	16th Battalion, 17th Reinforcement, C Company / 4th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	17 Apr 1916 - 14 May 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A60 Aeneas
Date of Return	3 Mar 1919 - 10 Apr 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A14 Euripides
Fate	Prisoner of War captured at Reincourt 11 Apr 1917 Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

The West Australian reported the death of George Vidgen Cross senior in New town, Tasmania. Electoral Roll entries - 1910 farmer in Kelmscott, but by 1912 he was described as 'civil servant' living in Kelmscott.

War Service

He entered Blackboy Hill camp on 17 Jan 1916 and was allocated to the Service Corp replacements five days later, travelling with them to Egypt.

A week after arrival in Egypt (1 Apr 1916) he was transferred to the 17th reinforcement draft for the 16th Battalion and undertook further training with the 4th Training Battalion in Egypt. While waiting to join the 16th Battalion he spent time in hospital from 31 May to 12 Jul 1916.

He entered France from Egypt on 23 Sep 1916 and joined the battalion on 4 Oct 1916 on the Ypres salient as they are coming out of the line.

During the attack on Bullecourt, as a member of C Company, Gordon was on the left flank of his battalion, closer to Bullecourt than Reincourt when he was captured along with many others when allied artillery failed to fire to cover the withdrawal of those who had penetrated the enemy trench system.

Interned at Limburg, Germany and later transferred to Fredrichsfeld and then Schneidemuhl in Prussia. Repatriated to the UK via Danzig, arriving at Rippon on 18 Dec 1918.

Discharged 5th Military District 5 Jun 1919.

Cousin of Miss Lucy Ottaway, 110 Tollington Park, N.4, London, through whom all his correspondence as a POW was directed. On 24 Oct 1917 he received the first of many parcels from family and the Red Cross.

In a letter to his cousin Lucy Ottaway he says that the day of his capture .."was awful"....and ..."So far I am keeping well and you can all thank God I am allowed to be alive to write you these few lines."...

The West Australian reported that "Mrs. G.V. Cross, Kelmscott has received news from headquarters that her son, Private Gordon V. Cross, has been missing since April 11. He has been fighting since September 1916".

The West Australian reported the arrival in England of a batch of prisoners of war from Germany including ..5350 Cross, Gordon Vidgen, Kelmscott.

On 4 Apr 1919 it reported that Gordon is one of many returning heroes on the Euripides.

"The Listening Post" mentions correspondence from himself to the editor.

Electoral Roll entries - described as 'civil servant' living in Kelmscott both before and after his military service. By 1936 he was described as a market gardener in Bedfordale; and from 1954 on he was retired, living by himself in William street, Armadale until his death in 1964. [No descendents?]

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial