Private 1330 William Minnis was a member of the Transport Section of the 1/4th Cheshire Regiment and was the groom taking care of Lieutenant Edgar’s horse. He was 23 years old, from Birkenhead, and had enlisted in the Territorials in 1910.
On 10 May 1915, whilst stationed at Bedford, he was tasked with taking Edgar’s horse out for exercise. The horse was described as a thoroughbred that was a ‘bit tricky’. However, William was an ‘expert’ horseman.
William did not return from his exercising of the horse and despite searches was missing for 10 days, not being found until the evening of 20 May. He and the horse were in a pond off the Goldington Road in Renhold, and sadly both were dead.
The inquest held in Renhold the next day found that he had died from a severed spine, and it was concluded he had lost control of the horse, fallen and rolled into the pond. The pond was about three feet deep at the time of the inquest, although it was estimated it would have been about five feet deep on 10 May, with several more feet of mud, and the horse was found at the opposite end to William.
Although listed as dying on 20 May it is safe to assume he died on 10 May. His body was taken home to Birkenhead where he was buried in the Flaybrick Hill Cemetery in the town.
With thanks to Military Bedfordshire where the sad story of William was posted in April 2022
When the Welsh came to Bedford 