712 Sergeant William Alfred Joseph Cross DCM
13th Battalion, AIF
by Robert Simpson
William Alfred Joseph Cross was born on 26th October 1875 in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was a son to Alfred Nicholas Cross and Susan Ann Vaudine. Nothing can be found of the family, when or where they were married or lived. The only record is of Alfred’s death in July 1883 in New Zealand. What happened to the family after that is not known?
The next time William appears in documents is when he married Mary Elizabeth Eleanor Flahey in St. Stephens Presbyterian Church in Sydney, New South Wales on 1st April 1906. Mary had been born in Sydney in 1883, a daughter to Michael Flahey and Annie J. Again nothing else is known about the family. In 1889 she was registered at a school in Sydney. A newspaper article in 1903 from the Department of Public Instruction lists Mary and two other ladies as being junior attendants in the Public Library. After the marriage they moved back to New Zealand, where their daughter Dorothy Oreti Eileen Cross was born in October 1906. A son, William Greville Crossley Cross was born in January 1908 in Dunedin, New Zealand. In the 1911 New Zealand Electoral Roll William was listed as a warehouseman at Epsilon St. Roslyn, Dunedin West, Otago in one roll, but it notes he was struck off. In another roll he was listed as living with Mary at Marsden St. Hutt and he was listed as a lay assistant in the Anglican Church and she was listed as married.
William enlisted on 7th September 1914 as Private 712 in the 13th Battalion at Rosebury Park Racecourse Camp in New South Wales (2nd Military District). His term of service was for the duration of the war and four months. He gave his name as William Alfred Cross from the Parish of Addington in Christchurch New Zealand. Williams was a natural born British Subject of 38 years and 11 months old and was a Clerk in Holy Orders and was living in Darlinghurst. He stated he had been an apprentice and his next of kin was his wife, Mrs M E E Cross. The original address was scribbled over but said Sydney as well. The address was then changed to c/o Mr. A J Coates “Clutherse” Reid Park Mossman. He listed his previous military service as 3 years in Volunteer Naval Artillery. His physical description was height 5 foot 9 inches, weighed 125 pounds, they left his chest measurement out, and he was of dark complexion with brown eyes and dark hair. His religious denomination was listed as Church of England. He had been vaccinated. On 2nd October 1914 he was promoted to Paid Corporal. He was appointed to G Company on 20th December 1914 at Broadmeadows. He embarked on 22nd December 1914 on A38 Ulysses as a Corporal with pay of 9 shillings a day.
William was promoted to Lance Sergeant on 10th June 1915 and to Sergeant the next day. On 20th June 1915 he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal while at Gallipoli. He was sent to H S Gascon off Gallipoli on 24th June with gastro-enteritis and was sent to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis on the 30th with dysentery. He embarked on Port Lincoln at Suez for escort duty to return to Australia on 4th August 1915. On 9th October 1915 and urgent telegram was sent from S O Invalids at Victoria Barracks in Sydney to Base Records in Melbourne asking for particulars regarding 712 Sergeant Cross DCM as the Premiers’ office had requested them in wishing to use his help in a recruiting campaign, and asked them to urgently reply by wire. He arrived in Melbourne on 2nd September 1915.
His citation for the Distinguished Conduct Medal reads “CROSS W. A. Sjt. 712 13th Btn. (New South Wales) For conspicuous gallantry on the 9th May 1915, during operations near Gaba Tepe (Dardanelles), in taking an enemy’s trench. Out of a party of 40 men to which he belonged, only 12 reached their objective. On the Officer in Command being wounded, he endeavoured to assist him back, but the Officer was again shot and killed. Serjeant Cross then immediately returned to the forward position. 5.8.15”. A letter with this citation was sent to his wife c/o Mr Coates as above on 8th January 1916, but it addressed him as her son. A copy of it also has son crossed out with husband handwritten in. On 3rd February 1916 from “Bondi” 32 MacDonald Crescent Wellington, New Zealand, Mary wrote back to Base Records; stating “ I am forwarding herewith the notification of the awarding of the D.C.M. to my Son, 712 Sergeant W A Cross , 13th Aust. Infantry. As the person referred to is my husband I shall be glad if you will have the error corrected before returning to me.” She goes on to say “I also wish to bring under your notice the fact that Sergeant Cross neglected to make provision for my support during his absence on Military Service – beyond a gratuity of 3 pounds for myself, and an allowance of 1 pound per month for my daughter. This arrangement was communicated to me on Jan. 20th 1915 by Mr. A. J. Coates of Sydney, whose letter I enclose. During Nov. 15 Sergeant Cross visited N.Z. and, upon my representation that the child’s allowance was insufficient, he removed her to Sydney – ostensibly to send her to school. At the same time he did not approach the subject of maintenance for myself. By way of identification I am forwarding my marriage certificate, which I shall be pleased to have returned with other enclosures after my application has received the attention of the proper authorities.” She signed the letter M. E. Eleanor Cross. The letter she included was addressed to her, Mrs Mary E Cross at 174 The Terrace Wellington, N.Z. It stated “When your husband Mr W. A. J. Cross, left Sydney recently on military service, he asked me as a matter of friendship, to act for his in drawing his pay etc. At his desire, I have pleasure in enclosing a P. O. order for 4 pounds, being 3 pounds for yourself and 1 pound as the first instalment of 1 pound per month for your daughter Dorothy, for purchase of extras etc.” It was signed J. A. Coates of Master in Lunacy’s Office Box 26 GPO Sydney. A reply was sent on 17th February which contained an amended extract of Military Orders as requested (son changed to husband) and the question of support had been referred to the Finance Branch for reply. The letter and marriage certificate were also returned.
The war diary seems to be out regarding dates of this attack as on the 9th it is written that they were at Popes Hill and 2 ranks were killed, 6 wounded and 1 missing. On the 10th while still at Popes Hill, at 2.30am D Company was sent to support Quinn’s Hill and 1 platoon took part in a charge. Sergeant Cross mentioned, 15 ranks were wounded, 2 killed and 1 missing. No mention of an officer being killed.
On 24th January 1916, at No. 4 Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Sydney he was examined and a detailed history form filled in. He was listed as 713 Sergeant W. A. Cross (DCM) of the 13th Battalion who joined in September 1914 at Sydney and returned to Australia on 9th September 1915. His former occupation was a clergyman and he was 41 years old last birthday. His disease or disability was dysentery and gastritis (rheumatism) which originated in June 1915 at Gallipoli. He stated he “took bad in Gallipoli” and “was sent to Egypt after 14 days sickness”. The cause of the disability was diet and exposure which was caused by active service. Presently he still had to keep on a light diet. Since returning home he had developed rheumatism in feet and hips. He was recommended for discharge as permanently unfit in order to follow recruiting duties. The Medical Board all agreed with the findings from active service causing dysentery. It was unknown if the disability was permanent or how long it would last. He did require further treatment to restore him to health, 1 month at home being recommended.
After returning to Australia, an article and photo was published in the Sydney Mail on 15th September 1915, Volume 7, page 12. The article is headed “Back From the War” and reads “Sergeant W. A. CROSS, D.C.M., who returned invalided to Sydney last week, and is here seen being welcomed at the railway station by his little son, was the first clergyman to obtain the Distinguished Conduct Medal at the operations at the Dardanelles. Before enlisting as a private with Lieutenant-Colonel Burnage’s 13th Battalion of the 4th A. I. Infantry Brigade, he was attached to St. Peter’s Church of England, Wellington, New Zealand.
Three incidents gained for Sergeant Cross the D.C.M. When the battalion landed, the officer of his company was shot, and he was called upon to take charge for the remainder of the week, and he resisted the attacks of the Turks right through a very severe period. A week later a general advance was made, and the men dug themselves in at the top of the hill, only, however, to be the object of attack. The losses were estimated at 50 per cent. In addition to the dead, there were many wounded, and there were no doctors or army medical men available. He took charge of the wounded, dressed their wounds, and frequently had to shift them from the line of firing. The third and culminating point of honour was at Quinn’s Post. He was in a party of about 40 that made a charge at the Turk’s trenches. They got there, but only five or six escaped. Their officer, Captain Townsend, of Sydney, was shot in a leg. When the order was given to retire, Sergeant Cross took the officer up in his arms and almost succeeded in getting him to the line when a bullet hit the officer in the head, and he fell dead in his arms. That bullet went through the right sleeve on the Sergeant’s coat. Another escape he had from more serious injury was when a piece of shrapnel struck him on the left foot. This laid him up for a fortnight.”
Captain Samuel Edward Townshend was the Captain killed that day, his mother was from Sydney and he was in C Company 16th Battalion which embarked on 22nd December 1914. (Note the spelling difference in his surname and he was living in Perth when he joined up). He is remembered at Lone Pine Memorial.
A detailed medical history of an invalid continuation form was written on 3rd March 1916 in Sydney and noted that the extent that his capacity for earning a full livelihood in the general labour market was lessened by a quarter. The Board recommended he be discharged as permanently unfit and receive a pension. As for his present condition, his general health was good, but he complained of rheumatic pain in his legs. There was no swelling at present.
He was discharged on the 8th and issued a pension after confirmation, from 9th June 1916 at a rate of 1 pound 14 shillings per fortnight with his address as “Normanhurst” Ben Boyd Rd, Neutral Bay. His children were also entitled to a pension from the same date, Dorothy at 10 shillings per fortnight and William at 7 shillings and 6 pence with their father as trustee. They were living at the same address. On 27th September 1917 his pension was adjusted to 17 shillings a fortnight and his address was given as c/o State Recruiting Commission, Sydney. Dorothy had her pension adjusted on the same day to 5 shillings and William to 3 shillings 9 pence, and their address was “Highview” Highview Ave. Neutral Bay. Mary was granted a pension of 8 shillings 6 pence from 17th April 1918 and her address was Marlingla Flats, Darlinghurst.
His D.C.M. was received on 8th October 1916 and was sent to the Commandant of the 2nd Military District.
On 27th November 1916 a letter was written from Australian Military Forces 2nd Military District in Sydney to Base Records in Melbourne saying that No 712 L/Sgt. Cross W. A. 13th Battalion was discharged from the AIF in consequence of medical unfitness on 8th June 1916 and that all the documents relating to his discharge were also included. A letter sent to Base Records from Finance Member asking for his rank was acknowledged with the reply that he “was appointed Lance-Sergeant on 26/12/14. He returned to Australia per Transport “Port Lincoln” on 2/9/15 as a “Sergeant of the Guard”, and “no further information is available.” It was sent on 29th November 1916.
There are two entries in one of his service records which state on 2nd February 1917 he was admitted to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford with V.D. and discharged from Parkhouse Hospital on 29th March 1917. It is not in any other record so it is not known if this was his record or not, and possibly it was entered in error. There is no other record stating he was in England in 1917.
He applied for war service leave gratuity on 9th May 1919 and was issued account 38737.
In October 1920 William petitioned the Court for an order for restitution of conjugal rights against Elizabeth. He stated he had been twice to war (does that fit in with the above VD entry?), had been one of the first of the AIF to be awarded a DCM and “was now employed in the Repatriation Department.” He was a lay reader who had been ordained in the Anglican Church, but had resigned his orders. Mary was a Roman Catholic and frequent differences occurred between them over religion. They note she had been formerly employed in the public library. “On occasions she did not wear her wedding ring, and differences occurred over this. He had given her no cause for refusing to live with him, but he admitted that under extreme provocation he had assaulted her because she endeavoured to kick him.” The judge reserved his decision on the 26th. Lawyers for Mary “opposed the application, contending that her husband had been guilty of conduct which made a matrimonial home impossible.” The petition was dismissed on 7th December 1920. A story in the Evening News Sydney paints a damning picture of William and the way he treated Mary. He did not treat her well and had other women in the house. She did state she “was willing to live with her husband if he treated her as a wife, and not a slave, and discontinued the ill-treatment.” Even their daughter testified against him. It seems to be a shocking lifestyle and bad example from one who should know better.
In his service records is a note which notes a communication on 26th November 1923 from The Historian, Tuggranong re address of soldier and under that is has M51/463 7/12/23 MG.
By 1925 he was living in Armidale, New South Wales.
In December 1926 Mary started divorce proceedings from William. The date range of the papers referring to the case goes from 16th December 1926 until 27th February 1929. The Sydney Morning Herald of 19th February 1929 carries and article that before Mr Justice James a Decree Absolute was granted and the marriage declared dissolved. The records of the case are available in NSW archives. It is not known what happened to the children.
In the mid-1930’s William was living in Myrtleford, Victoria.
On 30th November1939 he married Marie Eva Bridger in Burrowa, New South Wales. Nothing else is known about Marie except they had a girl of whom no more details are available. How he could get back into ministry and marry is incomprehensible.
On 10th November 1941, William wrote to Base Records in Canberra asking about being promoted to a commissioned rank. He had seen a story in a newspaper that a number of commissions in the AIF had not been claimed. William stated while at Gallipoli he was “recommended for a Commission and was informed so, by a member of General Monash’s staff and also by the 13th.Batt. Padre Col.Wray. A few weeks afterwards I was taken ill with dysentery and left Gallipoli and eventually returned to Australia and ultimately discharged, to take up work with the State Recruiting Committee New South Wales. I would be glad to learn from you if the Commission was gazetted after I left Gallipoli.” They replied on the 21st, stating that there was no record held by them that showed him being promoted to a commissioned rank while in the AIF. His address at the time was The Rectory at Corryong in Victoria.
William passed away on 15th July 1943 in Myrtleford Victoria. He was cremated at Springvale Botanic Cemetery and his ashes were scattered on the 19th. The cemetery has no other details listed, no family, no age etc. and no religious or cultural preference was listed either. For a man who showed such courage and bravery in battle, it is hard to fathom his attitude to family, faith and relations. Marie remarried after his death.
His medals are Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
