The name of a man who was born in Brigg in 1906 and then died in active service 80 years ago will finally be added to those already listed and remembered on the Monument war memorial's Roll of Honour.
Flight Sergeant Stanley Cross was educated in Brigg and enlisted as 'a regular' in the RAF in 1927.
He was killed in action during the Second World War on April 14, 1941, aged 35, while on a flying mission for Coastal Command over the Norwegian Sea.
He is recorded as having no known grave which, together with the fact that he left Brigg so long ago, may explain why his name was never added to the Monument.
However, detailed local history research was recently forwarded by Brigg man Ken Harrison to the Town Council which oversees the war memorial.
Ken considered this to be a strong proposal for inclusion, Flt Sgt Cross having been born in the town and lived here; nor is her named on another war memorial in the UK.
Town councillors considered the request at their latest meeting and gave it full support.
Coun Rob Waltham reminded his colleagues they were policy makers responsible for updating the records, and added: "The evidence is pretty compelling that Mr Harrison has presented."
Coun Waltham then successfully proposed updating the memorial "as soon as we can."
He said a stirling job had been done in finding the information for the council to consider.
Ken Harrison attended this meeting in the Buttercross, and once it ended he approached Brigg Blog to credit and acknowledge Josie Webb's detailed research work into Flt Sgt Cross's history.
Josie is a Brigg resident with a keen interest in local history, and many local folk know her as a founder member of the Brigg Amateur Social Historians (BASH) group.
Josie got in touch with Brigg Blog following the meeting with further information about Flt Sgt Cross.
She explained this research has been on-going since 2012 when Natalie Sankey opened the sweet shop at 18 Wrawby Street and asked Josie about the history of the building.
"I traced the Cross family back to the 1850s as butchers at these premises," Josie explained, "and found out about Stanley Cross, born there in 1906; and found out he went missing over Norweigan Waters while flying a Bristol Beaufighter plane.
"I rang Ken about this plane and that’s when he said his (Stanley's) name was not on the War Memorial."
She added: "It's being a fascinating journey, and very sad in parts."
We'll be posting more about Flt Sgt Cross within the next few days, plus information that has now come to light about another serviceman with local connections who died during the Second World War.
