Pte 36251 William Walter Cross

• Age: 30
• From: Preston, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

William Walter Cross was born in 1887 in Preston, the son of William Cross and his wife Margaret (nee Pearson) who were married in 1877.

William’s father died in 1890 at the age of just 35, and his mother Margaret married Thomas Clitheroe in 1892.

At the time of the 1901 Census, the family were living at 15 Trafford Street, Preston. William was 14 years old and working as an office boy, his sister Gertrude was 19 and a post office clerk and sister Hannah was 11. His stepfather Thomas was 54 and working as an insurance inspector, and his mother Margaret was 45 and working as a grocer from home. Thomas had children from his first marriage living with them: Frederick aged 26 a tailor, William Arthur aged 19 a grocers apprentice, Joseph aged 14 and also living there was Mary Slinger a 27 year old servant. Thomas also had two other children with his first wife – Hannah born in 1870 and Thomas born in 1877.

The 1911 Census records the family lived at 25, Lytham Road, Fulwood, Preston, William, known by his middle name Walter, is now working as a post office clerk. His stepfather is still an insurance agent – previous censuses record he works for the Prudential. Margaret is at home, and William’s sisters are still living at home – Gertrude is doing housework at home and Hannah is working as a milliner. Stepbrother Joseph is a tailors shopman, and also living there is a grandson Frederick Cross aged 6.

Walter enlisted in Preston and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36251 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 30 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August.

Walter's body was not recovered or was subsequently lsot as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Margaret Clitheroe.

In the acknowledgment section of the Lancashire Evening Post of the 28th August 1917, his family inserted the following:

Cross – Private W.Walter Cross killed in action July 31st 1917. Mr and Mrs Clitheroe and Family desire to adopt this means of thanking their many friends for their kind expressions of sympathy on the loss of a dearly loved son and brother – 25 Lytham Road, Fulwood.

The same newspaper printed an article on the 01st of September 1917 under the headline:

“Fulwood Soldier Killed In Action”:

Private Walter Cross (30) King’s Liverpool Rgt., son of Mrs Margaret Clitheroe, 25 Lytham Road, Fulwood, was killed in the big push in France of July 31st . He had been wounded and was on his way back to the dressing station when he was instantaneously killed by a shot in the back. His Captain writes that he was “one of those who always do their duty, in whatever direction it lies”, and that he was most popular in the regiment. He joined the King’s Liverpool Rgt., in February 1916 and went through the Battle of the Somme the same year. 

Walter is also remembered on the gravestone of his father and mother who are buried together in Preston Old Cemetery. Under his name the headstone reads:

"THOU AND THINE OWN ARE ONE FOR EVERMORE".

We currently have no further information on William Walter Cross, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.