Private Thomas Minnis
Thomas Minnis was born on 27 November 1893 at Tullynagee, Newtownards, County Down, the last of five children of farmer Alexander Minnis and his wife Mary Jane (née Jellie). His father died when he was just two years old. By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Tullynagee with his mother and siblings, and working as an insurance clerk.
Minnis enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 13 and 15 November 1915 (No.1865 – later Corps of Hussars No.71602). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France sometime between 1916 and 1918, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment. This regiment served as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps from its establishment in May 1916 until February-March 1918, when it was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.
Minnis remained with the regiment throughout the war. On 12 February 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.