60750: Diary of Sergeant James Cross, Royal Engineers

Diary kept by Jim Cross No. 62966 63rd Royal Naval Divisional Artillery, promoted Sergeant. Very detailed account of daily life, weather and conditions, changes in officers and unit, as well as being offered and refusing a commission in to the Royal Flying Corps. The German shelling is mentioned, including a ˜lucky escape' on 19 March when his office and billet were destroyed “ whilst he and his comrades were ˜not in residence'. There is also mention of helping a refugee family. His unit are in action on many occasions during the year. Brief mention is made of the Armistice “ in the collection Cross was sent out to deliver the cease fire notice.

No diary survives for 1917 “ Cross' jacket was stolen with the diary in a special pocket.

Part of a large collection relating to Jim Cross, Broadway, Worcestershire. Before the First World War he was a postman in Hereford, joining the army as a ˜sapper' (service number 62966) in the Royal Engineer (Signals) in January 1915. The collection includes artefacts from Serjeant James Cross' service as a despatch rider, and his memoirs “ dictated in his 90s in the 1980s-90s to his second wife, Jill. The memoirs are based on Jim's diaries from 1915, 1917 and 1918. Sjt. Cross served overseas in the 38th (Welsh) Division Signalling Company, and was later attached to Headquaters, Royal Artillery, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division.