Crossley, Henry Fielden (Harry)

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Henry Fielden Crossley (Harry)

25771, Lance Corporal, 10th Lancashire Fusiliers
Killed in action, 10 February 1917, aged 19
Buried at Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, France

CWGC registered (Son of Fielden and Sarah A Crossley, of Borrowdale Gates, Grange, Keswick. Native of Southport, Lancs)

AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER HIM

The son of Fielden Crossley and his wife Sarah Ann (née Halliwell), Henry Fielden Crossley (Harry) was born in 1897 at Southport, Lancashire. The Census for 1901 records the family of ten including Harry living in Southport; Fielden Crossley was an agent for calico cloth. Ten years later, the family still lived in Southport, Harry being described as a schoolboy. The family later moved to “Hill Crest”, Craigside and Harry attended Ysgol John Bright.

Harry Crossley’s service record was destroyed though some information is available from Soldiers Died in the Great War: he enlisted in Llandudno, served in the 10th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers as 25771 having previously served as 136476 in the Royal Field Artillery. To get a better idea of his service, it is necessary to deduce details from the intact records of other servicemen. It would appear that Harry Crossley joined the army under the so-called “Derby Scheme” where many men “volunteered” in anticipation of compulsory conscription. The last date for “volunteering” was in December 1915 and it appears Harry joined the Royal Field Artillery shortly before the deadline. He was given the regimental number of 135476. He would have been given a day’s pay (2/9d) and a khaki armband with crown and put into the Army Reserve. He was mobilised circa April 1916.

If he had volunteered to join the artillery rather than be conscripted into the infantry, then Harry was in for a rude shock as he was transferred to the Lancashire Fusiliers with a new regimental number of 25771, circa June 1916. He would have been transferred to a Reserve Battalion for infantry training before being posted to the 10th Battalion circa October 1916.

The 10th (Service) Battalion had formed in September 1914 and had been in France since July 1915. When Harry was promoted to lance corporal is presently unknown. He was killed in action on 10 February 1917. The war diary of the time records that the battalion had recently captured a trench at Sailly-Saillisel. Press reports at the time says he was in charge of a Lewis gun team when hit by a shell; the entire team being killed. He was aged 19 and is buried at Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery.

Known memorials:

  • Llandudno Roll of Honour
  • Llandudno War Memorial
  • Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
  • Ysgol John Bright Roll of Honour

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