Eric Cross was born in Rotherham, Yorkshire on 5 January 1902, the son of Edward Ernest and Annie Cross. He joined the Royal Navy as an Engine Room Artificer Fourth Class on 8 August 1927. He was drafted to the battleship HMS BARHAM on 5 June 1928 in which he served until at least 1 January 1929. No further details of his rating service are available.

Keith Cross was promoted to Warrant Engineer on 1 January 1939 and appointed to HMS DOLPHIN ‘for the Submarine Course‘ on 24 April 1939. Cross was appointed to HMS MEDWAY at Singapore ‘for Submarines‘ on 14 August 1939. He was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS LUCIA at Colombo on 15 February 1940, and this was followed by an appointment to HMS MEDWAY – now at Alexandria, on 7 June 1940. The date of his appointment to HMS ORPHEUS as Engineering Officer is yet to be established. On 19 June 1940, HMS ORPHEUS was lost with all hands.

Eric Keith Cross was the husband of Lizzie Cross (née Buckley). He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No. 37 Column No. 2.