Michael Crosby - Link to Bainsford

Private Michael Crosby

20973 Private, 2nd Battalion Auckland Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade, New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

Age: 32

Date of death: 3/2/18

Buried: Birr Crossroads Cemetery I.G.19

Family history: Son of Michael and Cristina Crosby, 1 Wee Row, Bankside, Bainsford, Falkirk. Michael was unmarried and living at Grey Street, Waihi, and was employed as a miner by the Grand Junction Mining Company. He listed his parents as next of kin when he enlisted on 2 May 1916 joining ‘E’ Company, 10th Reinforcements, 1st Battalion. He embarked for England in March 1917 and then joined the 2nd Battalion in the field on 21 April 1917.

Action leading to his death

The ending of the Third Battle of Ypres at the end of November 1917, saw the Brigade and the 2nd Battalion in Polygon Wood and Reutel with the headquarters located in the Butte at Polygon Wood. The New Zealand Engineers also constructed dugouts and bunkers in Polygon Wood. Two of the remaining bunkers built by New Zealand engineers in January 1918 at Polygon Wood

The Brigade consolidated their trench positions throughout December and January. During its time in the line the Battalion was subjected to German shell fire on the front line and support trenches as well as the rear areas with casualties heavier on the unsheltered tracks and at the dumps. At the beginning of February the Germans began to carry out an irregular series of sharp and brief shell-storms on cross-roads and other known centres of activity which resulted in a number of casualties.

Trench map showing the location of the trench positions in February 1918

Headstone

Private Michael Crosby. Authors image