[CROSS-] HEFFER, Charles




No. 2093, Lance Corporal, Charles James CROSS-HEFFER
Aged 22


1st/5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Monday 20th September, 1915

Born in Exning in Q2-1892 [Newmarket 3b:527], the son of Rose Louisa HEFFER (Born Burwell) who married James Levely CROSS of Park Cottage, Exning in Q2-1892.

1901 census...At Alresford Cottage, Exning were Charles (this time as James C) HEFFER [9] with his mother Rose [33] born Burwell, his father James CROSS [34] born Littleport, brothers Basil William Thorpe [7] and Cecil [3] and sisters Dorothy M [6] and Norah K [4].

1911 census...The same family unit were still at Alresford Cottage. Charles was by now a time keeper at the cement factory.

CWGC and "Soldiers Died" name him CROSS-HEFFER, and he has 2 Medal Index cards signifying the Army's confusion with his surname.

The pension card also records his brother Basil Cross-Heffer, Pte 14195 in Suffolk Regiment. The address on the card is Park Cottage, Exning.

Charles' entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows:

Heffer, C.J.   5th Suffolks. Corporal.
Charles James Heffer, generally known as Jack, joined up at the commencement of the war, and some months later went out to the Dardanelles, where he was killed instantaneously on September 18th, 1915. His Captain writes of him as follows:
"He and I were together during the big attack last August, and I shall never forget his willingness to undertake dangerous tasks on that occasion. Unfortunately I was knocked out for a time, so I did not see him again. On my rejoining the battalion I was very grieved to learn that he had already laid down his life for his country, and I went and visited his resting place. I fully endorse the inscription on the cross over his head."
The inscription the Captain is referring to runs as follows:-"Not gone from memory, nor yet from love, But gone to his Heavenly Home above. At rest."
Before the war he had been for eight years in the office at the Cement Works, with Mr. Blagborough. As a boy he had been a chorister in the parish church choir; for a short time he had taught in the Sunday School, and for some years had been a regular member of Mrs. Vaile's Bible Class.


He was initially buried in a gully behind the trenches at 20:00 by the Rev Pierrepont Edwards, a grave that was eventually lost, hence his commemoration on the special memorial. The 1/5th Battalion had been in Gallipoli since 10th August. They took over Norfolk Trench a few yards from the Turkish lines on September 15th. On the 18th/19th this position was heavily attacked but withstood the onslaught. They then moved to Australia Gully West. During these 1st eight weeks in Gallipoli the battalion suffered in killed, wounded or sick nearly 400 casualties. 2 others died with Charles on the 20th.

The Newmarket Journal of 9th October 1915 reported:-
DIED IN ACTION - We regret to state that Lce-Corpl.Chas.Jas.(Jack) Heffer, stepson of Mr J.Cross of The Avenue, met his death in action at the Dardanelles last week. The sad news was conveyed to the relatives in a letter received on Tuesday from Reg.Lane of Fordham, a comrade and intimate friend of the deceased. Lce-Corpl Heffer had, previous to the war, completed four years in the H Co.(Newmarket) 5th Suffolk Regt. and left the Company. As soon as hostilities began however, he rejoined the battalion and was, we believe, the first man from Exning to enlist. Previously he was timekeeper at Messrs.R.Stephenson and Son's cement works at Burwell.
The 5th Suffolks went out to the Mediterranean about the end of July. Lce-Corpl Heffer, who was only 23 years of age, was very popular with his comrades in the battalion, and was generally liked and respected in the village. Deep sympathy will be felt for his relatives in their bereavement.


Not many have two medal index cards !


© Commonwealth War Graves Commission


Charles is buried in Hill 60 Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey...Ref: Special Memorial II.E.1

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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