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Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC (deceased)
Born October 4th 1911, Kenneth Cross was commissioned in to the RAF in 1930, joining 25 Sqn in 1931. Kenneth Cross survived the sinking of the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious in June 1940, when his No.46 Sqn Hurricane was onboard. Sqn Ldr Kenneth Cross was one of only two pilots to survive the sinking of HMS Glorious. Squadron Leader Cross and Flight Lieutenant Jameson from 46 squadron managed to get aboard a Carley float with 61 seamen, but 25 of the latter died of exposure and exhaustion before the 38 survivors, the two RAF men amongst them, were finally picked up by a passing fishing vessel. He spent much of the war commading Hurricanes in Africa, involved in the Crusader offensive in 1941, returning home in early 1944, and working at the Air Ministry until 1945. He died on the 18th of June 2003.
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Items Signed by Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC (deceased) |
  | Clipped Signature - Sir Kenneth Cross. Price : £40.00 | One of only two RAF airmen to survive the sinking of HMS Glorious when his No.46 Sqn Hurricane was aboard, he lated commanded Hurricane squadrons in North Africa before taking senior roles at the Air Ministry. He died in 2003. Please not...... | |
  | Moment of Truth by Keith Woodcock. Price : £90.00 | The print depicts the moment as the first Hurricane of 46 squadron of the Royal Air Force, piloted by Sqn Ldr Kenneth Cross, without arrestor hooks or wires approaches the ill-fated carrier HMS Glorious. during the evacuation of Norway in June 1940. ...... | |
| | Moment of Truth by Keith Woodcock. (Y) Price : £75.00 | The print depicts the moment as the first Hurricane of 46 squadron of the Royal Air Force, piloted by Sqn Ldr Kenneth Cross, without arrestor hooks or wires approaches the ill-fated carrier HMS Glorious. during the evacuation of Norway in June 1940....... |
Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC (deceased) |
| Squadrons for : Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC (deceased) | ||
| A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC (deceased). A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name. | ||
| Squadron | Info | |
Country : UK Founded : 25th September 1915 Feriens Tego - Striking I defend | No.25 Sqn RAF No. 25 Squadron was formed at Montrose in Scotland on 25 September 1915 from the personnel of No. 6 Reserve Squadron. Moving to France in February 1916, the Squadron took up fighter/reconnaissance patrols over the Western Front with two-seat FE2Bs. During 1917, the Squadron transferred to long-range reconnaissance and high-altitude bombing with newly received DH4s. After moving to Germany as part of the occupation forces, No. 25 Squadron returned to the UK and disbanded in January 1920. The squadron reformed the next day at RAF Hawkinge, flying Snipes, and went to Turkey in 1922/23 during the Chanak Crisis. After returning to the UK the unit stayed for a number of years at Hawkinge. The Snipes gave way to Grebes and later Siskins, while in December 1936 the squadron became the first unit to receive the Hawker Fury Mk II, having already flown the Fury Mk I since 1932. The Fury was replaced by the Hawker Demon when the squadron was given a night-fighter role. For night-flying training purposes the squadron also received Gloster Gladiators. No. 25(F) Squadron moved to RAF Northolt on 12 September 1938. During World War II it flew Blenheims on night patrols, which were replaced by Beaufighters and later Mosquitos. By the closing stages of the war, the squadron was almost entirely committed to bomber escort missions. After the war, the night-fighter Mosquitos remained on strength until 1951 when they were finally replaced by Vampires. A mix of two Meteor night-fighter variants replaced the Vampires in 1954 and remained with the Squadron until it was disbanded in June 1958. Barely a week later, on 1 July 1958, No. 153 Squadron at Waterbeach was renumbered No. 25 and the same mix of Meteors (NF12s and NF14s) was flown until all-weather Javelin fighters arrived in early 1959. In November 1962, the Squadron again disbanded, this time until October 1963, when the Squadron was reformed at North Coates as the first operational Bloodhound surface-to-air guided missile unit. In 1970, the Squadron moved to Bruggen with detached Flights based at Laarbruch and Wildenrath, remaining in Germany until 1983 when the unit returned to the UK with bases at Wyton, Barkston Heath and Wattisham. The Bloodhounds were withdrawn from service on 1 August 1989 and the Squadron reformed the same day at Leeming as a Tornado F3 squadron. During its time at Leeming, the squadron has had operational tours in the Gulf, providing air and groundcrews for the detachment of Tornado F3 based in Saudi Arabia on a rotational basis with other air defence squadrons. This ceased following the Operation Telic in 2003. | |
Country : UK Founded : 19th April 1916 Fate : Disbanded 31st August 1975. Uganda We rise to conquer | No.46 Sqn RAF No. 46 Squadron was formed on the 19th April 1916 and based at RAF Wyton base. In October 1916, 46 Squadron moved to France and was equipped with the two seater Nieuport. 46 Squadrons role was artillery spotting and reconnaissance until May 1917 when 46 squadron were re equipped with the fighter the Sopwith Pup. 46 Squadron operated as part of the 11th Army Wing, and saw many engagements with the enemy. Returning to England and based at Sutton's Farm, Essex, the squadron took part in the defence of London, in July 1917. London had been bombed several times by German Gotha Bombers but after 46 Squadrons patrols no enemy aircraft managed to bomb London in their area. Later 46 squadorn returned to France at the end of August 1917 and in November the squadorn was re equipped with the Sopwith Camel and participated in the Battle of Cambrai protecting the ground troops. In November 1917, Lieutenant (later Major) Donald Maclaren joined 46 Squadron. His first dogfight was not until February 1918, but in the last 9 months of the war Donald Maclaren was credited with shooting down 48 aeroplanes and six balloons, making him one of the top aces of World War I. By November 1918, 46 Squadron had claimed 184 air victories, creating 16 aces. After the First World War had ended the squadorn returned to England and was disbanded on the 31st of December 1919. The outbreak of war found 46 Squadron at RAF Digby, equipped with Hawker Hurricanes. Action with the enemy came quickly when, at the end of October 1939, Squadron Leader Barwell and Pilot Officer Plummer attacked a formation of 12 Heinkel 115s, destroying one each, and scattering the remainder. The next six months were uneventful, consisting in the main of providing air cover for the shipping convoys steaming along the East Coast - a few enemy aircraft were sighted but no contacts were made. In May 1940, the squadron was selected to form part of the Expeditionary Force in Norway, which had been invaded by the Germans on 9th April. The Hurricanes were embarked on HMS Glorious and, despite doubts that a Hurricane could take off from a carrier flight deck in a flat calm, they all took to the air without difficulty, thanks to the efforts of the ship's engineers, who managed to get the Glorious up to a speed of 30 knots. No.46 Squadron assembled at Bardufoss and began operation on 26 May. Patrols were maintained over the land and naval forces at Narvik without respite, some of the pilots going without sleep for more than 48 hours. Conditions on the ground were very basic with poor runways and primitive servicing and repair facilities. Many air combats took place, and in its brief campaign in Norway the squadron accounted for at least 14 enemy aircraft, besides probably destroying many others. On 7th June the squadron was ordered to evacuate Norway immediately and, on the night of 7th through 8th June, the Hurricanes were successfully flown back to Glorious — a dangerous procedure as none of the aircraft were fitted with deck arrester hooks. The ground parties embarked on HMS Vindictive and SS Monarch of Bermuda and reached the UK safely, but the squadron's aircraft and eight of its pilots were lost when Glorious was sunk by German warships on 9th June 1940. The two pilots who survived were the Squadron Commander, Squadron Leader (later Air Chief Marshal) Bing Cross, and the Flight Commander, Flight Lieutenant (later Air Commodore) Jamie Jameson. | |
| Aircraft for : Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC (deceased) | |||
| A list of all aircraft associated with Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC (deceased). A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | |||
| Squadron | Info | ||
Manufacturer : Hawker Production Began : 1936 Number Built : 14533 | Hurricane Royal Air Force Fighter, the Hawker Hurricane had a top speed of 320mph, at 18,200 feet and 340mph at 17,500, ceiling of 34,200 and a range of 935 miles. The Hurricane was armed with eight fixed wing mounted .303 browning machine guns in the Mark I and twelve .303 browning's in the MKIIB in the Hurricane MKIIC it had four 20mm cannon. All time classic fighter the Hurricane was designed in 1933-1934, the first prototype flew in June 1936 and a contract for 600 for the Royal Air Force was placed. The first production model flew ion the 12th October 1937 and 111 squadron of the Royal Air Force received the first Hurricanes in January 1938. By the outbreak of World war two the Royal Air Force had 18 operational squadrons of Hurricanes. During the Battle of Britain a total of 1715 Hurricanes took part, (which was more than the rest of the aircraft of the Royal air force put together) and almost 75% of the Victories during the Battle of Britain went to hurricane pilots. The Hawker Hurricane was used in all theatres during World war two, and in many roles. in total 14,533 Hurricanes were built. | ||
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