Gosport cricket stalwart and decorated D-Day veteran Ron Cross MBE has reached his unbeaten century. He’s 100 years old today !
The inspirational Borough centurion is eagerly awaiting his birthday telegram from the Queen, which should arrive at his home in St Valerie Road this morning, along with scores of other congratulatory greetings cards.
Ron’s milestone birthday comes two days after the 76th anniversary of the D-Day landings. He was just 24 years of age when, as part of the Royal Engineers’ 79th Armoured Division (a unit specifically created to form the first line of attack) attached to the Canadian Army, he went ashore on Juno Beach in Normandy at the head of the Allied invasion on 6 June 1944.
Serving with the Armoured Vehicles Royal Engineers, Ron and his unit were responsible for landing tanks and clearing minefields. By 9am, his team had created four gaps for the Churchill tanks to break the German front line and, despite expecting to lose 75 per cent of their forces, the men of the 79th didn’t suffer a single casualty.
“I still remember it very clearly but definitely wouldn’t want to do it all again. The infantry had already landed by the time we arrived and we went ashore with the Regina Rifles, a Canadian regiment. If things needed blowing up it was my job to get out and do it.
‘We were successful and, by 9am, we hoisted a blue windsock which indicated that a gap was open for the next group to come in.’
The inspirational Borough centurion is eagerly awaiting his birthday telegram from the Queen, which should arrive at his home in St Valerie Road this morning, along with scores of other congratulatory greetings cards.
Ron’s milestone birthday comes two days after the 76th anniversary of the D-Day landings. He was just 24 years of age when, as part of the Royal Engineers’ 79th Armoured Division (a unit specifically created to form the first line of attack) attached to the Canadian Army, he went ashore on Juno Beach in Normandy at the head of the Allied invasion on 6 June 1944.
Serving with the Armoured Vehicles Royal Engineers, Ron and his unit were responsible for landing tanks and clearing minefields. By 9am, his team had created four gaps for the Churchill tanks to break the German front line and, despite expecting to lose 75 per cent of their forces, the men of the 79th didn’t suffer a single casualty.
“I still remember it very clearly but definitely wouldn’t want to do it all again. The infantry had already landed by the time we arrived and we went ashore with the Regina Rifles, a Canadian regiment. If things needed blowing up it was my job to get out and do it.
‘We were successful and, by 9am, we hoisted a blue windsock which indicated that a gap was open for the next group to come in.’
One of the Hobart's Funnies tanks similar to that taken ashore by Ron Cross MBE on D-Day 1944.
From Normandy, Ron fought with his battalion through France and towards Germany, where he stayed until the end of the war. He witnessed the carnage at the Falaise gap, describing the scene as “horrible.”
He took part in three further landings in Holland and was mentioned in dispatches.
Four years ago, in 2016, he was awarded the Legion d’honneur – the highest French military honour which can be given by France – for his part in on D-Day. He was presented the honour by French Consul Captain Francois Jean in a ceremony organised by the Blind Veterans UK Portsmouth, whom Ron holds in the very highest regard, the charity having helped him since 2012 following the deterioration of his eyesight several years earlier. Ron is pictured with his French military medal top left.
Awarded MBE
Ron, who was discharged as a corporal in 1946, subsequently worked as an occupational therapist at the Royal Navy Hospital, Haslar for 37 years and developed the department - for which he was deservedly awarded the MBE.
“I saw thousands of patients in my time at Haslar. It was a hugely rewarding job getting people back on their feet, so to speak,” he reflected.
He took part in three further landings in Holland and was mentioned in dispatches.
Four years ago, in 2016, he was awarded the Legion d’honneur – the highest French military honour which can be given by France – for his part in on D-Day. He was presented the honour by French Consul Captain Francois Jean in a ceremony organised by the Blind Veterans UK Portsmouth, whom Ron holds in the very highest regard, the charity having helped him since 2012 following the deterioration of his eyesight several years earlier. Ron is pictured with his French military medal top left.
Awarded MBE
Ron, who was discharged as a corporal in 1946, subsequently worked as an occupational therapist at the Royal Navy Hospital, Haslar for 37 years and developed the department - for which he was deservedly awarded the MBE.
“I saw thousands of patients in my time at Haslar. It was a hugely rewarding job getting people back on their feet, so to speak,” he reflected.
Young Ron Away from his wartime heroism and his family, Ron’s first love was cricket – a sport he served with equal distinction for well over half a century.
A founder member of Gosport cricket club immediately after WW2, Ron was a decent opening batsman and off-spin bowler played for the Privett Park club for many years until 1960 when a back injury caused him to hang up his boots.
He immediately went into umpiring - having travelled to London to pass his ACU examination – and went on to become a leading umpire on the Hampshire circuit and beyond, making a significant contribution to the summer game. His efforts have been marked by the installation of a commemorative bench at Privett Park.
Lord's thriller
Over the course of 35 years, he officiated hundreds of matches, including Hampshire 2nd XI for 20 of those seasons, the Inter-Services Championships, national club championship cup ties, and the Southern Premier League – in addition to treading the hallowed turf of Lord’s in 1983 when he umpired an ECB William Younger Cup final thriller when Shrewsbury beat Hastings & St Leonard’s Priory by four runs.
Previously in 1967, he umpired the West Indies v Combined Services at Aldershot – Rohan Kanhai, David Murray, Alvin Kallicharran, Lance Gibbs, Keith Boyce all played – and also wore his white coat with pride at the Oval and Trent Bridge.
In the mid-1980s, he became a founder member of the South Coast Panel of Umpires (now Officials) and spent many midweek evenings in the winter months with his pal Ray Holyer training would-be umpires.
When Gosport CC and Gosport Amateurs merged to become Gosport Borough in 1968, Ron became fixture secretary – with no telephone and having to do all his admin work by letter post ! Fax machines, emails, the internet were light years away !
When asked who were the most famous people he had umpired, Ron smiled: “Gordon Greenidge and Peter O’Toole, who turned out for the Lord’s Taverners’ and was a real cricket fanatic.”
Gosport Borough CC had planned a celebratory 100th birthday lunch for Ron, but due to the current suspension of recreational cricket have delayed it until a later date.
A founder member of Gosport cricket club immediately after WW2, Ron was a decent opening batsman and off-spin bowler played for the Privett Park club for many years until 1960 when a back injury caused him to hang up his boots.
He immediately went into umpiring - having travelled to London to pass his ACU examination – and went on to become a leading umpire on the Hampshire circuit and beyond, making a significant contribution to the summer game. His efforts have been marked by the installation of a commemorative bench at Privett Park.
Lord's thriller
Over the course of 35 years, he officiated hundreds of matches, including Hampshire 2nd XI for 20 of those seasons, the Inter-Services Championships, national club championship cup ties, and the Southern Premier League – in addition to treading the hallowed turf of Lord’s in 1983 when he umpired an ECB William Younger Cup final thriller when Shrewsbury beat Hastings & St Leonard’s Priory by four runs.
Previously in 1967, he umpired the West Indies v Combined Services at Aldershot – Rohan Kanhai, David Murray, Alvin Kallicharran, Lance Gibbs, Keith Boyce all played – and also wore his white coat with pride at the Oval and Trent Bridge.
In the mid-1980s, he became a founder member of the South Coast Panel of Umpires (now Officials) and spent many midweek evenings in the winter months with his pal Ray Holyer training would-be umpires.
When Gosport CC and Gosport Amateurs merged to become Gosport Borough in 1968, Ron became fixture secretary – with no telephone and having to do all his admin work by letter post ! Fax machines, emails, the internet were light years away !
When asked who were the most famous people he had umpired, Ron smiled: “Gordon Greenidge and Peter O’Toole, who turned out for the Lord’s Taverners’ and was a real cricket fanatic.”
Gosport Borough CC had planned a celebratory 100th birthday lunch for Ron, but due to the current suspension of recreational cricket have delayed it until a later date.
Ron Cross (right) pictured alongside another Gosport stalwart Peter Edgar (left) on the occasion of his 90th birthday in June 2010.
