Clarence Victor Minard
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
He was the son of Reuben Minard Boyer and Emily Boyer. The family later used the surname 'Minard'. Clarence's father was born Reuben Minard Boyer in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire; birth registered 1872 (J/F/M Hinckley). He married Emily Burrows in 1893 (marriage registered J/A/S Nottingham). They had two children both of whose birth was registered in the surname 'Boyer'; Reuben Cyril (b. 1894, J/A/S Nottingham) and Clarence Victor M (b. 1897, J/A/S Nottingham). In 1901 Reuben Boyer, age 29, was a prisoner in HMP Nottingham. On 29 January 1906 Reuben Minards (sic) was admitted to Nottingham Lunatic Asylum where he died on 22 March 1906 aged 34. Reuben's wife and two sons have not yet been traced on the 1901 Census. However, in 1911 they were living at 16 Campbell Grove, Robin Hood Street, Nottingham. Emily (39) was head of household and using the surname 'Minard'; her eldest son Reuben (16) was working as a printer while Clarence (13) was still at school. Emily married Thomas EF Wilson in 1915. The marriage was registered O/N/D in Nottingham; Emily was listed as Emily M Boyer. Also in 1915, Clarence's brother, Reuben (Reuben C Minard), married Elsie Adelaide Watson (b. 9 October 1894, Nottingham), marriage registered O/N/D Nottingham. At the time of Clarence's death in 1917 his mother was living at 42 Stewart Place, Alfred Street, Nottingham. The notice of his death, which was probably placed in the local paper by his mother, gave his surname as Wilson. The notice included the name of his brother Cyril and also his 'father' and it is likely that this is his stepfather, Thomas Wilson. Reuben also served during the war (records give his name as Cyril Minard), initially serving in the Sherwood Foresters (25517) and later in the Royal Defence Corps (84869). According to the notice of his brother's death in 1917 Reuben had been wounded in France which probably explains his transfer from the Sherwood Foresters to the RDC. He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Reuben died on 21 April 1951 aged 56 (death registered June, Nottingham) and his widow Elsie Adelaide died in 1975 aged 80 (death registered March, Nottingham).
Clarence was killed on 25 August 1917 and is buried in Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery, France (grave ref. II. G. 23). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of the Templeux-le Guerard British Cemetery (extract): 'The village was taken early in April 1917, lost on the 21st March 1918, and retaken by the 15th Suffolks of the 74th (Yeomanry) Division on the following 18th September. Templeux-Le-Guerard British Cemetery was begun by the 59th Division in April 1917, and carried on by other units until August 1917, and again in September and October 1918. After the Armistice, a further 360 graves were brought in from the battlefields (of April 1917 and March and September 1918) surrounding the village and in 1930, the British graves from the following two cemeteries were brought in [listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Father in Thy loving keeping leave I now my loved one sleeping Mother' Nottingham Evening Post notice (abridged), 15 September 1917: Wilson killed in action August 25th, Clarence Victor Minard, son of Emily Wilson (formerly Minard), 42 Stewart Place. Mother, brother Cyril (wounded in France) and father. His mother, Emily Wilson (formerly Minard) was his legatee and payments were made to her and her surviving son, Cyril.
