Reginald Douglas Cross

Story:
Reginald Douglas Cross was born in Tarrant Rawston, Blandford, Dorset, on 18 Aug 1897 the son of Charles Henry Cross and Lucy Hannah Cross (nee Dean).  He lived his very early life at Woodcutts Farm Cottages, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset.  By 1911 he had moved to Great Wishford, Salisbury, Dorset.   He had enlisted with the Territorial Force of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 2120) and served with the 4th Battalion in India.  His Service No. changed when becoming a regular soldier to 200560 and he served then variously in Palestine, France and Flanders.  He transferred to the 74th Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps on 1 Jun 1917 (Service No. 94643).  He was eventually discharged on 15 Mar 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the Territorial Force War Medal.   By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at the Police House, Sherborne, Dorset, working as a Police Constable.  His death was recorded in Weymouth, Dorset, during 1975.   His brother, Arthur Thomas Cross, also served in the conflict.