'HERO' Ulric Cross Honoured with RAF Memorial.

FEATURE

‘HERO’ ULRIC CROSS

HONOURED WITHRAF MEMORIAL

WORDS | STEPHEN SPARK

Squadron Leader, Justice, His Excellency the High Commissioner – DSO, DFC, OM, OTT. The range of titles and honours bestowed on Ulric Cross in his lifetime reflect both his courage and his remarkable intellectual and organisational abilities. He passed away, aged 96 years, in 2013, but Cross has not been forgotten.

On Wednesday 19 October, at Royal Air Force base Marham, Norfolk, a moving tribute was paid to the Trinidadian pilot known as the ‘Black Hornet’, who flew 80 missions as a navigator for the elite Pathfinder Force. In the presence of T&T High Commissioner HE Vishnu Dhanpaul and Ulric Cross’s daughter, Lady Hollick OBE, a plaque was unveiled on the base’s Memorial Wall.

RAF Marham’s Commander, Gp Capt Fred Wrigglesworth, honoured Ulric Cross and the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago by flying the T&T flag alongside the RAF Ensign at the station HQ. A conference room for the RAF Lightning Force has been named after Ulric Cross, which includes a framed portrait of the man and his medals.

Ulric’s daughter Nicola Cross recounted his story “in his own words”, Lady Hollick read a tribute by his granddaughters and Lightning Force Deputy Commander Gp Capt Matt Bressani read a reflection on his life. Other tributes were paid by Cpl Janelle Jack, Flt Lt (Rt) Laurene Hoyte-West and Ulric’s nephew Felix Cross. Lt Cpl Kavel Alexander played David Rudder’s inspiring composition, High Mas, on steelpan.

The ceremony was a fitting way to remember the man whose life has been explored in Frances-Anne Solomon’s award-winning 2019 biopic, Hero.