Arthur Henry Cross

Recovering captured machine guns alone under fierce gunfire.

Arthur Henry Cross was born at Shipdham, Norfolk, on December 13, 1884. He worked on the railway and later in London before enlisting in the 21st Battalion, London Regiment, in May 1916. He reached France later that year and transferred to the Machine Gun Corps in 1917.

On March 25, 1918, near Ervillers, Cross volunteered to find two machine guns captured by German troops. Advancing alone into their trench, he used his revolver to compel seven men to surrender and carry the guns, tripods and ammunition back to the British lines. He then assembled gun teams and brought the recovered weapons into action against a heavy attack. His Victoria Cross recognized both this initiative and his devotion to duty through four days of operations.

His Military Medal was gazetted in August 1918. King George V presented his VC on September 4, 1918, and he left the Army as a corporal in March 1919. His documented six-medal group includes the British War Medal, Victory Medal and the 1937 and 1953 coronation medals. During the Second World War, his wife and two children were killed in a bombing raid. Cross died in London in November 1965 and was buried at Streatham Vale Cemetery.

**Victoria Cross citation**

“For most conspicuous bravery and initiative, Lance Corporal Cross volunteered to make a reconnaissance of the position of two machine guns which had been captured by the enemy. He advanced single handed to the enemy trench and with his revolver forced seven of the enemy to surrender and carry the machine guns with their tripods and ammunition to our lines. He then handed over his prisoners, collected teams for his guns, which he brought into action with exceptional dash and skill, annihilating a very heavy attack by the enemy. It is impossible to speak too highly of the extreme gallantry, initiative and dash displayed by this NCO who showed throughout four days of operations, supreme devotion to duty.”