Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: Angas Frederick Cross
Service Number: 7586
Place of Birth: Belvidere, near Strathalbyn
Date of Birth: 4 February 1894
Place of Enlistment: Broken Hill NSW
Date of Enlistment: 25 May 1916
Age at Enlistment: 22 years 3 months when he enlisted in May 1916, 23years 5 months when he re-enlisted in July 1917.
Marital status: Single
Next of Kin: Father – William Cross
Occupation: Labourer / Miner
Religion: Roman Catholic
Rank: Sapper
Biographical details:
Angas was the son of William Brooks Cross and Charlotte Rainsford. He was passed as medically fit by the Army Medical Officer on 17 May 1916 and arrived at Mitcham Camp on 2 June as a private with B Company. His first enlistment lasted only 67 days as he possessed a deformity of the right ankle, which gave him considerable pain and discomfort after marching. Consequently, he was discharged in July 1916.
Angas re-enlisted on 18 July 1917, was passed as medically fit and trained as a sapper with the 2nd Tunnelling Company at Bendigo from 6 to 12 September. His unit was sent to Southampton on 20 April 1918 and proceeded to France on 14 May. He was hospitalised in France early on 2 June with tachycardia. He rejoined his unit on 6 June and was then admitted to Bath War Hospital in England with hysteria and epilepsy on 9-10 July. Angas was transferred to Harefield and Weymouth hospitals prior to returning to Australia on board H.S. Saxon on 14 December 1918 and was discharged as medically unfit for service due to epilepsy on 4 January 1919(1).
.
Fruit Block Details:
On 1 December 1921, Angas Frederick Cross occupied Block 674 (West of the town), which was bordered by Cook road and Mutton road, Monash. Simultaneously, he participated in the Monash Model Parliament, which was a precursor to the Berri Council being formed and Councillors being elected from surrounding towns, including Monash/Lone Gum, and serving in the Parliament. It was a 19.5 acre block on which he grew doradillos, sultanas, currants, lucerne and mixed trees. Fencing was constructed in 1921. The stone house on the property was built in 1922 and comprised three rooms, with both a front and back verandah. The house was valued at 400 pounds in 1922. When Angas died in 1923, Block 674 was taken up by William Durrock Campbell, another soldier -settler, who had Blocks 252W, 252E and 656 at Monash with W.H.Carter(2).
Other Anecdotal information:
Angas married Margaret Henrietta Gibson at the Good Shepherd Church, Bowden, on 4 September 1917. They had one son, Frederick Gordon, born at Monash on 28 April 1921. Angas died on 28 February 1923 aged 28(3).
References:
1.National Australian Archives B2455: Cross A F: Barcode346288
2. Barmera Berri Council, Berri Barmera & Districts Local History Collection.
3. South Australian Births, Deaths & Marriages Records.