Ulric Cross: Difference between revisions

In 1941, aged 24, Cross left Trinidad to join Britain's [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) – being "young, adventurous and idealistic".<ref>{{cite news|first=Stephen|last=Bourne|author-link=Stephen Bourne (writer)|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/squadron-leader-ulric-cross-pilot-who-went-on-to-become-a-judge-and-diplomat-8872480.html |title=Squadron Leader Ulric Cross: Pilot who went on to become a judge and diplomat|newspaper='[[The Independent]]|date= 10 October 2013}}</ref> He served with [[RAF Bomber Command]] during World War II, attaining the rank of Squadron Leader.<ref>[https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/a-caribbean-veteran-remembered/article_7ea3f69a-62b1-5ff6-88ba-d8748a6cec46.html "A Caribbean veteran remembered"], ''Trinidad Express Newspapers'', 5 July 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2023.</ref> In June 1944 he was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] and in January 1945, he was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]]<ref name=CottonTree /><ref>[[Martin Francis]], ''The Flyer: British Culture and the Royal Air Force 1939–1945'', Oxford University Press, 2008, p. 59.</ref> in recognition of his "fine example of keenness and devotion to duty" and "exceptional navigational ability".<ref name=UWI /> He

Cross was a member of the elite [[Pathfinder (RAF)|Pathfinder Force]] that perfected techniques for precision main force bombing. In his own words: "We did a lot of low-level daylight bombing. We flew at just 50 feet instead of the normal 25,000 feet. We dropped four 500-pound bombs. You flew in to your target at 50 feet and as you approached it you went up to 1,200 feet. You then did a shallow dive onto the target and released your bombs. The bomb had an 11-second delay, so you shot up to avoid the bomb blast. We went over in formation and we bombed in formation, but we came back independently." Cross flew 80 missions over [[Germany]] and [[occupied Europe]] as Navigator of a [[Mosquito bomber|Mosquito fighter-bomber]],<ref name=Andre&Christian /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heroulriccross.com/the-day-i-almost-died/|title='The Day I Almost Died': Wwii Airman Ulric Cross Recalls|first=Sean|last=Douglas|newspaper=[[Trinidad Express]]|date=15 November 1999|page=11|via=Hero: The Extraordinary Life & Times of Mr. Ulric Cross|access-date=21 April 2023}}</ref><ref>[http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article3891736.ece "Pathfinder navigator who flew 80 sorties over occupied Europe and later became a judge and a High Commissioner"], ''[[The Times]]'', 11 October 2013.</ref> and was the model for the Black character, Squadron Leader Charles Ford, in [[Ken Follett]]'s novel ''[[Hornet Flight]]''.<ref>David Brewster, [http://ken-follett.com/bibliography/hornet_flight/interviews/040303_ulric_cross.html "Hornet Flight – The black hornet: UK war novel character inspired by Ulric Cross"]. ''Trinidad Express'', 25 January 2004, reprinted on Ken Follett website.</ref><ref>[http://www.militarian.com/threads/trinidadians-in-the-raf.2461/ "Black Hornet", Trinidadians in the RAF], Militarian.</ref><ref>[[Cy Grant]], [http://www.itzcaribbean.com/caribbeanaircrew_ww2_raf.php "WWII Caribbean Air Crew Archive, A Permanent On-Line Archive of Caribbean Air Crew in the Royal Air Force, WW II"]. ItzCaribbean.com.</ref>

After the war, Cross studied law and he was [[called to the Bar]] under the aegis of the [[Middle Temple]], London, on 26 January 1949.<ref>{{cite book |year=1977 |title=Register of Admissions to the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple |url=http://archive.middletemple.org.uk/Shared%20Documents/MTAR/MTAR%204%20-%201945%20-%201953.pdf |volume=4 |location=London |access-date=1 May 2018 |archive-date=16 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116115423/http://archive.middletemple.org.uk/Shared%20Documents/MTAR/MTAR%204%20-%201945%20-%201953.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

He then returned to Trinidad where, from 1949 to 1953, he was Legal Adviser to the Comptroller of Imports and Exports, Trinidad and Tobago. He also lectured in Trade Union History and Trade Union Law at the Extra-Mural Department of the [[University of the West Indies]], located in Trinidad.<ref name=CommonwealthSecretariat /> He subsequently returned to London, and worked for some time as a producer for Talks and the famed ''[[Caribbean Voices]]'' at the [[BBC]] (1953–1957).<ref name=CommonwealthSecretariat /><ref>Griffith, Glyne. <i>''The BBC and the Development of Anglophone Caribbean Literature, 1943-1958</i>''</ref>

Once again, Cross returned to Trinidad, this time in 1971 to serve as a High Court judge.<ref name=CottonTree /> In 1979, he was elevated to the Court of Appeal.<ref>[[Bridget Brereton]], [http://www.ttlawcourts.org/jeibooks/books/independentcourtofappeal.pdf "Celebrating 50 Years of an Independent Court of Appeal of Trinidad and Tobago 1962–2012"], Judicial Education Institute of Trinidad and Tobago, 2015, p. 139.</ref> He then became Chairman of the Law Reform Commission of Trinidad and Tobago, from 1982 to 1983, and in this position he made a significant contribution towards furthering the revision and development of the country's laws.<ref name=CottonTree /><ref>Carol Matroo, [http://archives.newsday.co.tt/2013/10/06/pm-tt-has-lost-a-true-hero/ "PM: TT has lost a true hero"], ''Newsday'', 6 October 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2023.</ref> On his death, [[Kamla Persad-Bissessar]], then Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, acknowledged his years spent on the judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago, saying: "Some of his judgments changed the landscape of Trinidad and Tobago."<ref>[https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/pm-pays-tribute-to-ulric-cross/article_f0fb4d04-5b1a-553e-880f-8a67eb300f97.html "PM pays tribute to Ulric Cross"], ''Trinidad Express Newspapers'', 5 October 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2023.</ref>

<!--already in refs* [http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/PM-pays-tribute-to-Ulric-Cross-226584161.html "PM pays tribute to Ulric Cross"], ''Trinidad Express Newspapers'', 5 October 2013.

* [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10365034/Ulric-Cross.html "Ulric Cross" (obituary)], ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'', 8 October 2013.-->

[[Category:High Commissionerscommissioners of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Kingdom]]