John Minshull-Ford
Encyclopedia
Major-General John Randle Minshull-Ford CB
DSO
MC
(12 May 1881 – 1 April 1948) was a British Army
officer who briefly served as Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
before the German Occupation
in 1940.
, Minshull-Ford was commissioned into the Royal Welch Fusiliers
in 1900. He served in World War I
as Commander of the 1st Bn of his regiment in the British Expeditionary Force and was wounded at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle
in March 1915. He continued his war service as a Brigade Commander in the Home Forces and then in France from 1916.
After the War he was briefly a Brigade Commander in the British Army of the Rhine
and then served as Commanding Officer of 1 Bn South Staffordshire Regiment
from 1925. He was appointed Commander of 5th Infantry Brigade at Aldershot Command
in 1930 and General Officer Commanding 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division in 1934 before retiring in 1938.
He was briefly Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
in 1940 just before the German Occupation.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(12 May 1881 – 1 April 1948) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who briefly served as Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
before the German Occupation
Occupation of the Channel Islands
The Channel Islands were occupied by Nazi Germany for much of World War II, from 30 June 1940 until the liberation on 9 May 1945. The Channel Islands are two British Crown dependencies and include the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey as well as the smaller islands of Alderney and Sark...
in 1940.
Military career
Educated at Twyford SchoolTwyford School
Twyford School is a co-educational, independent, preparatory boarding and day school, located in the village of Twyford, Hampshire.-History:Twyford claims to be the oldest preparatory school in the United Kingdom....
, Minshull-Ford was commissioned into the Royal Welch Fusiliers
Royal Welch Fusiliers
The Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
in 1900. He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as Commander of the 1st Bn of his regiment in the British Expeditionary Force and was wounded at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle
Battle of Neuve Chapelle
The Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. It was a British offensive in the Artois region and broke through at Neuve-Chapelle but they were unable to exploit the advantage.The battle began on 10 March 1915...
in March 1915. He continued his war service as a Brigade Commander in the Home Forces and then in France from 1916.
After the War he was briefly a Brigade Commander in the British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
and then served as Commanding Officer of 1 Bn South Staffordshire Regiment
South Staffordshire Regiment
The South Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 38th Regiment of Foot and the 80th Regiment of Foot. In 1959 the regiment was amlagamated with the North Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire Regiment...
from 1925. He was appointed Commander of 5th Infantry Brigade at Aldershot Command
Aldershot Command
-History:After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, a permanent training camp was established at Aldershot in 1854 on the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, Viscount Hardinge...
in 1930 and General Officer Commanding 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division in 1934 before retiring in 1938.
He was briefly Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
in 1940 just before the German Occupation.