Albert Edward Shepherd
Private, 12th Service Battalion. King's Royal Rifle Corps
- Register No.
- 1135 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 12th Service Battalion. King's Royal Rifle Corps all King's Royal Rifle Corps VCs →
- Date of action
- 20 November 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 13th February 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 11th January 1897 at Royston, Barnsley, Yorkshire
- Died
- the 24th October 1966 at Royston, Barnsley, Yorkshire
- Memorial / grave
- at Royston Cemetery, Yorkshire
- Medal held by
- the Royal Green Jackets Museum, Winchester,
Digest of citation
When held up by a machine-gun at point-blank range on the 20th November 1917 at Villers Plouich, France, Private Shepherd rushed forward, after his offer to volunteer had been refused, and threw a Mills bomb, capturing the gun and killing two of the crew. When the advance was continued, the company came under heavy enfilade machine-gun fire. Private Shepherd took command when all the officers and NCOs had become casualties. After ordering the men to take cover, by lying down, he ran back a distance of some 70 yards to get some assistance from a tank. Returning to the company, he then led them on to their final objective
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
SHEPHERD, Albert Edward. (reg No. 1135).
Private. 12th Service Battalion. King's Royal Rifle Corps.
London Gazetted on 13th February 1918.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Royal Green Jackets Museum, Winchester, Hampshire.
Born on 11th January 1897 at Royston, Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Died on the 24th October 1966 at Royston, Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Memorial on grave at Royston Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Digest of Citation reads:. When held up by a machine-gun at point-blank range on the 20th November 1917 at Villers Plouich, France, Private Shepherd rushed forward, after his offer to volunteer had been refused, and threw a Mills bomb, capturing the gun and killing two of the crew. When the advance was continued, the company came under heavy enfilade machine-gun fire. Private Shepherd took command when all the officers and NCOs had become casualties. After ordering the men to take cover, by lying down, he ran back a distance of some 70 yards to get some assistance from a tank. Returning to the company, he then led them on to their final objective.
Additional information:. R 15089, Corporal Shepherd was the son of Noah and Laura (née Darwin) Shepherd. His wife's name was Rosezillah and they had a daughter Mildred. He was educated a at Royston West Riding School. Before joining the Army on 4th August 1915, he had been a pony driver at the new Monkton Colliery, where his father was a miner. He served from 4th August 1915 to New Year's Day 1919. During his military service he was gassed and wounded twice in the arm.
Additional information
R 15089, Corporal Shepherd was the son of Noah and Laura (née Darwin) Shepherd. His wife's name was Rosezillah and they had a daughter Mildred. He was educated a at Royston West Riding School. Before joining the Army on 4th August 1915, he had been a pony driver at the new Monkton Colliery, where his father was a miner. He served from 4th August 1915 to New Year's Day 1919. During his military service he was gassed and wounded twice in the arm.
Hampshire.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Royston Cemetery, Yorkshire
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