Pte 15279 George Henry Minshull (MC)

• Age: 29
• From: Walton Liverpool
• Regiment: Welsh Regiment
• Died on Sunday 20th October 1918
• Commemorated at: Montay-neuvilly Road Cemetery, Montay
  Panel Ref: III.A.23

George Henry was born on 08th February 1889 at Walton, Liverpool the son of John Minshull and his wife Mary Alice nee Moorcroft who married at St mary's Church, Walton on 01st February 1880. John was from Neston whilst Mary Alice was from Walton. George Henry was the 4th of 10 children born to the couple. He was baptised at St Mary's Church Walton on 24th February 1889.  

His siblings were: Alice, John, Charles Edward, Margaret Ellen, MaryElizabeth, Eliza Annie, Gertrude Gladys and Ada

The 1891 Census shows the family are living at 10 Smithy Lane, Walton and shows his father to be emloyed as a Warehouseman.

By 1901 the family are still at the same address but George Henry and his brother Charles Edward are living next door at Number 8 with their Grandparents William and Ellen Moorcroft.

In 1911 the family have moved to 170 Walton Village, and we find George Henry now 22 and single is employed as a Customs Clerk in a Shipping Company.

He enlisted in Liverpool and joined the 17th Battalion as Private 15279 and served with the Liverpool Pals in France from their arrival on 07th November 1915. He has reached the rank of Lance Corporal before he received his Commission on 20/th November 1917 joining the 15th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant. He was killed in action on 20th October 1918 aged 29. 

He now rests at Montay Neuvilly Road Cemetery,Montay.

This cemetery was made by the 23rd Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery, on 26 and 27 October 1918. It contained originally 111 graves, mainly of officers and men of the 38th (Welsh) and 33rd Divisions, and the 6th Dorsets, but after the Armistice it was increased when graves were brought in from the battlefields west, north and east of Montay. 

There are now 470 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War in this cemetery. 61 of the burials are unidentified but there is a special memorial to one casualty believed to be buried among them. All fell in the period October or November 1918. There is also a plot of 27 German graves within the cemetery. The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden. 

He was awarded the Military Cross and his citation is as follows:

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty"

When no reliable information could be obtained from the front line, all the runners becoming casualties, this officer volunteered to go forward and report on the situation. For six hours he was exposed to incessant machine gun barrage, crawling not only to his own battalion but along the front of the whole brigade. On the way he found and collected many disabled, wounded and stragglers directing them to their companies. He eventually got back to battalion Headquarters with full information, after setting a remarkabe example of courage and endurance".

 We currently have no further information on George Henry Minshull. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.