Harry Garnet Bedford Miner VC

b. 24/06/1891 Cedar Springs, Ontario, Canada. d. 08/08/1918 Demuin, France.

Henry “Harry” Garnet Bedford Miner (1891-1918) was born on 24th June 1891 in Cedar Springs, Chatham, Kent County, Ontario, Canada. His father, John Miner, was a farm labourer of Scottish origin. He married Sarah Orpha Bedford, from Detroit, Michigan, USA, on Christmas Day 1877 at Chatham. Harry had six siblings.

Harry was educated at Selton Public School, south of Thamesville, at Highgate High School, and finally at Ridgetown High School. Harry became a telephone lineman until 1912, when he travelled to British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. Upon his return to Ontario he settled near Clinton, in Huron County, where he worked for several farmers as a hired hand, including at Goderich Township.

Harry enlisted in 142nd Battalion (London’s Own) CEF at London, Ontario on 1st December 1915. He was described as a farmer. He transferred to the 161st Huron Battalion on 22nd March 1916. His disciplinary record at this time was not great. He forfeited four days pay for being absent on 9th June, and had two more similar punishments later that year. He was appointed acting lance corporal on 17th September and was posted to Camp Borden, Ontario. Although he never married, from 1st November 1916 he assigned $20 a month from his Army pay to Miss Mary Yesbec of Clinton, Ontario. His battalion departed Camp Borden and sailed aboard SS Lapland, arriving in Liverpool on 11th November 1916. They sailed on to France on 27th November and joined the Canadian Base Depot on 29th November. Harry was transferred to the 58th Battalion.

Harry suffered several minor wounds, including being hit in the wristwatch, which was shattered. On 21st June 1917, he was absent from parade and was awarded seven days Field Punishment No 1. He attended the NCO course at 3rd Canadian Division School 9th August – 15th September and was granted leave at the end of the month. In December the Battalion was in the St Emile Sector, Lens.

Harry was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his actions on the night of 30th December 1917 in the Cite St Emile area of Lens. He was in charge of a wiring party, and kept them together for over seven hours under heavy fire and repaired several breaks in the line.

Harry G B Miner VC

Corporal Miner was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for his conduct on 8th August 1918, the first day of the massive Allied offensive around Amiens in France. Near Demuin, Miner charged a German machine gun position alone and, after killing the crew, turned the captured weapon on the retreating enemy. Later in the day, with the help of two comrades, he attacked another enemy machine gun emplacement and put it out of action. Again alone, Miner assaulted a German bombing post, dealt with two enemy soldiers with his bayonet, and put the other occupants of the position to flight. It was during this last action that Corporal Miner received severe grenade wounds that proved to be fatal.

He was buried in Crouy Military Cemetery, Amiens, France, having died at the No 5 Casualty Clearing Station at Crouy-on-Somme. The posthumous VC and French Croix de Guerre were presented to his father by Brigadier General LW Shannon at London, Ontario on 28th March 1919. Harry’s uncle, the Reverend Harry Bedford, after whom he had been named, was also there. Harry is commemorated on war memorials at Clinton, Ontario and Ridgetown, Ontario. Branch 185 of the Royal Canadian Legion is named after him. He is named on the VC obelisk in Barrie, Ontario, and on Plaque No 96 on the York Cemetery VC Memorial in Toronto. He also has a VC commemorative stone at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.

In addition to the VC he was awarded the British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal 1914-19 and French Croix de Guerre. The VC and Croix de Guerre were held by a family member in Michigan, USA until the summer of 1968, when a man handed them to the Clinton, Ontario Branch of the Canadian Legion. The medals were formally handed over to the Branch at its Remembrance Day banquet on 30th October 1968 by Harry’s nephew, Ira Benjamin Miner of Inkster, Michigan. The VC is on permanent loan to Huron County Museum, Goderich, Ontario. The whereabouts of his two campaign medals are unknown.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: HURON COUNTY MUSEUM, GODERICH, ONTARIO, CANADA (ON PERMANENT LOAN).

BURIAL PLACE: CROUY MILITARY CEMETERY, AMIENS, FRANCE.

PLOT V, ROW B, GRAVE 11