In Tilloy British Cemetery, Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, France is the Commonwealth War Grave of 295044 Private Ernest Crossling, serving with the 1/5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry who died 23/04/1917.
He was the son of Mrs. Annie McLain, of 276, Stanhope Street, Newcastle upon Tyne.
He is listed in the Scout Roll of Honour 1914-18 as having served as Assistant Scoutmaster with the Fir Tree Troop.
Enid Hoseason has submitted the following:
Ernest Crossling was born in the last quarter of 1892 the son of Annie Crossling a single mother from Crook. In 1895, Annie relocated to Newcastle upon Tyne and married William W McLain, a widow with three children. Annie had five more children, Ralph b. 1896, Richard b.1898, Herbert b. 1900, Isabella b. 1903 and Ruby b. 1905.
Ernest was brought up by his grandparents, Richard and Catherine Crossling who lived at Helmington Row.
By 1901, Catherine was widowed and kept house for her sons, Joseph a printer, John, Richard and Robert as well as Ernest. Fourteen year old Jane Ballam from Middlesbrough also lived with the family, she was employed as a servant.
In 1911, Ernest was still living with his grandmother Catherine and his uncle Jospeh in Arthur Street. Ernest was employed in the mines as a putter.
Before he joined the army, Ernest was the Assistant Scout Troop leader for the Scouts in Fir Tree.
Ernest enlisted with the 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry in September of 1915. He was 22 years and 10 months old, 5 feet 6 inches tall with a good physical development and good vision, he stated that he had been vaccinated in infancy, his religion was Methodist. Ernest was transferred to the 1/6th Battalion in May 1916 then moved again on the 2nd March 1917 to the 1/5th Battalion.
In March 1916, Ernest was admitted to the Military Hospital, Newcastle on Tyne for a period of 14 days. He spent a further two months in hospital in Warrington with an I.C.T. injury to his left arm (possible explanations for ICT, Inflammation connective tissue or suppurating skin diseases).
On the 1st May 1917 he was posted as “Missing”, On the 12th May 1917 it was confirmed that he had been killed.
In April 1916 Ernest had made a will with a solicitor in Crook, in it he devised and bequeathed all of his property to his grandmother, Catherine Crossling absolutely, but should she pre decease him, then and in such case, I give and bequeath the same to my uncle, Joseph W Crossling. A copy of his will was kept in his army files.
The Army forwarded Ernest’s medals and any personal property to his grandmother via his Crook, solicitors.
In September of 1919, the Army wrote to Catherine Crossling to tell her it had been necessary to exhume the remains of Ernest for a proper burial at Tilloy British Cemetery, 2 miles south of Arras. The new grave had been marked with a cross bearing Ernest’s particulars. The letter went on to say that the removal was undertaken with every measure of care and reverence and the re-interment conducted by an Army Chaplain.
Private 295044 Ernest Crossling was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal
Ernest Crossling is remembered at Bishop Auckland in B140.27, page 60, at Crook on C121.03 and C121.04, in the 1/5th D.L.I Roll of Honour, page 7, as Crosling, and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance, page 94.
