Thomas Charles Wynne Minshall was born in 1888 to a well-to-do family. His father was Philip Henry Minshall, his mother Annie nee Williams. His father was a partner with Minshall, Parry-Jones & Pugh, Solicitors in Oswestry. The family lived at Bronwylfa on Mount (aka Racecourse) Road and later at Beechfield, a large house on Morda Road. Thomas had four younger siblings: Mabel, Philip, Mary and Dorothy. In the household too were 4 domestic servants. Thomas was educated first at prep school Merton House at Penmaenmawr and then at Mill Hill public school in London where he had been School Captain (Head Boy) and in the school’s Officer Training Corps. He went on to study law and then joined his father’s practice gaining his Articles in 1913. The solicitor firm was Minshall, Pugh & Company – founded by his grandfather Thomas Minshall (1810-1890) – twice Mayor of Oswestry. His great grand father, Nathaniel Minshall, founded the printing firm, at 6 The Cross, Oswestry, and which subsequently produced The Oswestry Advertizer. (see also Woodall Minshall Thomas & Co  Occupations). Thomas was also a member of the St. Oswald’s Masonic Lodge and before the war had been in the RWF Territorials and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in June 1914. He had gone over to France in January 1915. He was promoted in July 1915 to Temporary Captain and to full Captain the following October. In September 1916 he spent time in hospital at Rouen suffering from trench fever. He returned to England to convalesce and, after recovering, spent time at Park Hall Camp on light duties awaiting a posting.

Captain Minshall returned to France early in 1918. He was KIA 25 March 1918 at Contalmaison, Somme during Operation Michael, Kaiser Offensive. In the battalion War Diary he is listed as died of wounds. However, a fellow officer who wrote to his parents recorded that he had been shot in the head and died instantaneously. His obituary also adds that ‘he was of genial disposition and popular with the officers and men’.  Thomas was buried in Gordon Dump Cemetery near to Ovillers la Boiselle. His headstone reads – ‘He went at call of duty and died for his country’. He is also commemorated on the family grave at Oswestry Cemetery (Grave G6) and on the war memorials at St Oswald’s Church and Christ Church, Oswestry at Mill Hill School and the Masonic Roll of Honour. He is also possibly on Chirk War Memorial.

Also commemorated on the family grave, Oswestry Cemetery

See also Private 59586 Percy J Mayes who married Gladys Gwendoline Bebbington, a housemaid/servant to the Minshall household.

The Minshall family, when living on Racecourse Road, were neighbours to Second Lieutenant Herbert M Owen and his brother Captain John M Owen .

Acknowledgements.  – Additional information with thanks to Norman Horne and Chris Jones, family descendants.

References and Sources

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