Hello Shaun

The forwarding address you sent is being investigated. It may have been that of a family member or possiblly a bank.
You say he asked for items to stored awaiting his return from UK. I assume this was in 1967. Did he ever return?

The Ogaden was indeed a place where John served with the Kings African Rifles and where he won the Military Cross.
Do you have a description of the property and any history regarding former owners or how John acquired it?

His military career is my real interest. He was commissioned from the ranks and there is a mention of Sgt Minnery in the diary of an officer in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. It is from Christmas 1914 the time of the famous "truce" between the front lines in France. Football matches were even played between British and German. The officer says Sgt Minnery went into the German treches at the invitation of a German who knew Glasgow well.

Anyway Shaun thanks again for you help. Regarding his records. In exceptional circumstances they will release records where the individual's birth is more than 116 years without proof of death. Exactly what exceptional circumstances are I don't know. However if I can't obtain a death certificate I will wait until exactly 4:10am 20 December 2010 at which time the 116 years will be up.

John

Hi Des,

          "Ogaden Estate, just outside Arusha on the Moshi road". Hope that ties in with your sisters memories. Doubt if Agnes was a daughter as John and his wife Mary were both born in the early 1890's. Give Agnes's age they would have been old to have a daughter.

           The adress definitely ties in with John Minnery he was born in Barrhead. I've spoken with a niece of John's who has no knowledge of Agnes but that lead still remains very active and requires a bit more work to be done on it.

           I hope Shaun can come up with a forwarding address. According to John's neice he did not settle back in Barrhead there is a possibility he went to Malta. His wife Mary died in America in the 1980's.

           Thanks for your interest and help


                John

           

Shaun
Thank you for your reply. I'm trying to get John Minnery's army records but need a death certificate. No one in the family knows the place or year of his death. It certainly is not UK.

In 1947 on a visit to the US wife Mary Bridget Minnery gave as her next of kin Lt Col John Minnery, Camp Commandant, Polish Refugee Camp, Tengeru, Arusha, Tanganika. That is the last reference I can find.

Anything you can add to that will bring me a step closer to getting the records. Do you know if he had any family? I'm checking a reference to an Agnes Minnery who was a pupil in a local school.

Again thanks for your response and I'll eagerly await any information you can provide.

Best Regards

John Crawford

I'm researching my family history and am particularly interested in John Minnery. He was one time owner of Ogaden Estate but also Lt Col Camp Commendant Tengeru Polish Refugee Camp. That is the next of kin details given by his wife Mary Bridget on entry documentation to US Immigration in 1947. I believe they left the area after selling the estate in 1967 but to go where?

I would be grateful for any information concerning him or his family that members might have.

Regards

John Crawford