Name
Arthur William Minnis
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/12/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
30901
Bedfordshire Regiment
5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATBY MEMORIAL
Egypt
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin,
British Schools Museum Memorial, Hitchin,
Pre War
Born in Hitchin 1890 to parents William and Mary Minnis. The 1911 census has the family living at 41 Bancroft Hitchin and Arthur is listed as a farm Labourer. He was married and his home address was 8, Providence Row, St. Andrew's Place, Hitchin.
Wartime Service
Before joining the army he had been employed by Wallace's Dairy in Hitchin. He was born in Hitchin and was resident there when he enlisted in Bedford on the 12th July 1916 and went to France in October 1916. He was allocated the Regimental Number 30901 and posted to the 5th Battalion of the Bedfords. He fought at Arras and on the Somme and was invalided home.
On the 19th November 1917 he was drafted to Egypt and was transported on the liner ‘Aragon’ of 9588 tons built in 1905 that had been taken over by the British Government from the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and was bringing reinforcements to the army in Palestine. The ship was full to capacity, having 2,500 troops on board plus 200 in the crew.
The ship arrived at Alexandria on the 30th December 1917 and was permitted to enter the harbour, but was later ordered outside without any protection. It was promptly torpedoed by the German submarine UC34 with the loss of 610 men including 19 crew and the ship's Captain, Captain Bateman.
He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Chatby Memorial to the Missing in Egypt.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
