to Harringay, North London, and he became involved in the Scouting movement shortly after it was established. He became an Assistant Scoutmaster. He was also involved in local politics and was noted as a good speaker. He supported Percy Alden MP in several election campaigns. First World War After war was declared, he initially volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps, but transferred to the London Scottish. After training he was initially posted to the 1st Battalion in France, where he was wounded at the Battle of the Somme in September 1916 at Leuze Wood. He was evacuated to England, but after recovering, he was posted to the 2nd Battalion and joined them first in Salonika prior to it embarking to Egypt. Victoria Cross He was 29 years old, and a Private in the 2/14th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Scottish), British Army when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 1 May 1918 east of the Jordan River, Palestine, in the midst of a pitched battle against Turkish troops, Private Cruickshank volunteered to take a message to company headquarters from his platoon which was in the bottom of a wadi, with its officer and most of the men casualties. The official War Office citation gave the following account: The platoon to which Private Cruickshank belonged came under very heavy rifle and machine-gun fire at short range and was led down a steep bank into a wadi, most of the men being hit before they reached the bottom. Immediately after reaching the bottom of the wadi the officer in command was shot dead, and the sergeant who then took over command sent a runner back to Company Headquarters asking for support, but was mortally wounded almost immediately after; the corporal having in the meantime been killed, the only remaining N.C.O. (a lance-corporal), believing the first messenger to have been killed, called for a volunteer to take a second message back. Private Cruickshank immediately responded and rushed up the slope, but was hit and rolled back into the wadi bottom. He again rose and rushed up the slope, but, being again wounded, rolled back into the wadi. After his wounds had been dressed he rushed a third time up the slope and again fell badly wounded. Being now unable to stand he rolled himself back amid a hail of bullets. His wounds were