Captain Thomas Latymer CROSSE
7th (Service) Battalion Border Regiment

Date of birth: 28th May 1889
Date of death: 3rd July 1916

Killed in action aged 27
Buried at Danzig Alley British Cemetery Mametz Plot IX Row J Grave 8
He was born at Eastbridge in Canterbury on the 28th of May 1889 the eldest son of Canon Thomas George Crosse, Vicar of Faversham, and Fanny Maria (nee Nelson) of The Vicarage, Faversham. He was christened at Canterbury on the 24th of June 1889.

He was educated at the Junior King’s School from May 1896 to April 1899 and at St Lawrence College Ramsgate where he was a member of the Shooting VIII in 1907. He went on to Gonville and Caius College Cambridge from the 1st of October 1908 where he obtained a 3rd Class Classical Tripos in 1911 and a BA, 3rd Class Theological Tripos in 1911. He served as a Colour Sergeant and later as a Cadet Officer in the Cambridge University Officer Training Corps. He played hockey for the College where he was described by the college magazine as: -

“A very plucky goalkeeper.”

In 1912 he was appointed assistant master at Highfield School, Liphook in Hampshire and was preparing for ordination when the war broke out. His name was entered for ordination at Ely Theological College but he postponed this due the outbreak of war.

He applied for a commission in the infantry on the 4th of September 1914 and underwent a medical examination at Cambridge on the same day at which it was recorded that he was five feet eight and a half inches tall and that he weighed 162lbs.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Border Regiment on the 14th of September 1914, being promoted to Lieutenant on the 5th of December 1914 and to Captain on the 5th of July 1915. He crossed to France with his battalion on the 14th of July 1915, arriving at Boulogne the same day. He was slightly wounded twice. He went on leave to England from the 29th of November to the 6th of December 1915.

On the 1st of March 1916 he was evacuated to 10 Casualty Clearing Station suffering from influenza and was transferred to 1 British Red Cross Hospital later the same day. On his release he went to the Reinforcement Camp at Etaples on the 13th of March and returned to his battalion in the field on the 17th of March. He went on leave to England from the 11th to the 18th of April 1916.

On the 2nd of July 1916 the battalion moved from billets at Merlancourt to positions at Fricourt Wood with Battalion Headquarters at Fricourt Chateau. At 3am on the 3rd of July they received orders to attack Bottom Wood. They advanced at 9am in waves on a two platoon frontage and in the order B Company, D Company and A Company with C Company being held in reserve at Willow Trench. After leaving their front line the first German trench, known as Railway Trench was taken without serious opposition, although Captain Crosse and Lieutenant Crompton, who was carrying a machine gun on his shoulder, were both killed by machine gun fire. B Company remained in the enemy trench to “mop up” and D Company pushed up the slope to their next objective some two hundred and fifty yards away. They ran into resistance from a trench some fifty yards behind Railway Trench which was not on their map but with assistance from the other two companies they took it. A small group under Lieutenant Sanger got onto Bottom Wood although the defenders were there in vastly superior numbers. The Germans overestimated the number of Borders ranged against them and either fled their positions or surrendered. The survivors of the battalion returned to Fricourt Wood that night. He was buried some two hundred and fifty yards to the south east of Fricourt Chateau.

His father received the following telegram dated the 8th of July 1916: -

"Deeply regret to inform you that Capt T.L. Crosse Border Regt was killed in action July 3. The Army Council express their sympathy."

A statement was taken from Private 23234 Ernest Sadler, 7th Battalion Border Regiment at Tranmere Military Hospital, Birkenhead on the 18th of July 1916: -

"Informant states that he saw Capt. Crosse killed by a machine gun, at Fricourt, July 3rd, about 9.30am."

The following is a letter from the Reverend Tom Griggs-Smith (an old school friend of Tom) dated the May 31st 1917 and sent to Tom’s parents:-

“A fortnight ago, I found by chance a man from C Company of the 7th Borders. We have expected him to tea twice but the first time his leave was stopped and when we reached the hospital today, we found he had gone home on leave and was discharged from this hospital. I have his home address and hope to see more of him. In the ten minute talk when first I saw him, he told me that he had known Captain Crosse from his joining the Regiment. He spoke of him with great respect and almost his first words were “He was very well liked; he never bullied his men”. The most interesting thing he told me about Tom and the Regiment was that for five days before they went ‘over the top’; the Colonel commanded half the Battalion himself and gave the other half to Tom during the bombardment. Perhaps you knew of this. I was very glad to hear it for I certainly think it shows that Tom would have received his Majority had he come through. If you have not heard of this before, I am sure you will be glad to know Tom received so great an honour. Private Wrathall saw Tom both before and after the action and when I spoke of shells, he said “No, there were no shells then; it was all done by machine guns”. He has seen Tom’s grave and speaks of it as particularly well marked. The inscription on the wood cross is ‘Captain T.L. Crosse, 7th Border Regiment’ and he is buried between two Lieutenants. I was wondering if you have a photograph of this grave. If not, I will make enquiries for it is just possible I may be able to procure one for when I was staying with Professor and Mrs Ridgeway, I know a number of people in Cambridge or a Society were endeavoring to obtain the help of someone whom they could send to France to identify and photograph Officers’ graves. If anyone has gone the Professor is sure to know who it is and will help us to get in touch with him. Private Wrathall has written to me since I saw him and mentioned that Captain Nasmyth who was a great friend of Tom’s has been killed with more of the old officers and men.”

His father established an annual prize in his memory at Gonville and Caius College for the most deserving choir boy.

He is commemorated on a plaque in St Mary's Church Faversham and in the church at Ickham. He is also commemorated on the war memorials at St Lawrence College, Ramsgate and at Gonville and Caius College Cambridge.

His brother, Lieutenant Robert Grant Crosse (OKS) 7th Battalion Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment, was killed in action on the 14th of July 1916.


Click here to see drawings of Canterbury Cathedral and the Norman Staircase, King's School, by Thomas Crosse.
Junior King's School

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