CROSS, Oliver Arthur

Oliver, a thirty year old labourer at Tingha, was married with one daughter when he enlisted at Randwick on 29 August 1914. Just a few weeks later he sailed from Australia on the transport ship A19 Afric for Egypt with the 1st Battalion, G. Company. This Battalion, which was the first one formed in NSW, undertook further training before taking part in the landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.

Oliver’s war was very short. He was wounded and evacuated to 15th General Hospital at Alexandria where he died of wounds on 3rd May 1915. Private Oliver Cross was buried at Chatby War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt. At Inverell his name is recorded on the Honor Roll and he was one of the 215 men for whom a memorial tree was planted in Kurrajong Parade. His name is also inscribed on the Tingha Honour Roll.

The Inverell Times 25 May 1915 reported that before the War Oliver had been a keen cricket player for the Ross Hill team and was regarded as ‘a star bowler of his day’.  At the 1915 Annual meeting of the Inverell Cricket Club, members stood for a minute’s silence in his memory.