Gnr. Henry Shephard MM, 78671, 252 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

[Ivor Anderson]

Gnr. Henry Shephard MM, 78671, 252 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery 

 

No service record on Ancestry? Entitled to BWM & VM but no star (MIC & Medal Roll). 252 SB entered France 3 Feb. 1917.

Military Medal listed in London Gazette supp. 30424, 12 December 1917 - Schedule number 113927. 

 

His MM LG entry says he was from Walmley (NE of Birmingham), but I cannot decisively confirm his details pre or post WW1.

A Henry Shepherd was born in Aston Warwickshire in Q3 1896, and on the 1901 census at 8 Stanley Grove, Aston (aged 4 in 1901). Parents Frederick & Kate m.1888 in Aston District. The family were at Bard St., Sparkhill, Birmingham, in 1911, and 'Harry' was a 14 year old sadler.

He married Ethel May Griffin in Aston District on 19 May 1919. They had a son Kenneth Henry b.23-11-1923 in the King's Heath District. Harry died in S. Birmingham on 3 March 1929. Ethel and Kenneth were living at 160 Arkley Road, Birmingham in 1939.

The surname in these civil records is spelt 'erd' instead of 'ard' as in the military records, yet I cannot see a better candidate from that area?

Edited 12 October , 2020 by Ivor Anderson
Additional information

[Ivor Anderson]

 

The WD records his MM (along with A/Bdr. H. W. Culverwell 78422, Sch. No. 113926) on 8th October 1917:

"for gallantry, in keeping up communications forward for four days under very heavy shell-fire over a distance of six miles'.

The battery were at HOOGE, east of Ypres, in late September 1917. They moved to Verbrandenmolen on 29 September 1917.

Henry William Culverwell was later KIA on 28 May 1918. His service record is on Ancestry.

Shephard's MM Index Card also spells his surname 'ard' - free from TNA: WO-372-23-165405

Edited 25 September , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[Mark1959]

He appears on a wounded list from the War Office dated 18/9/17. This gives his NoK home town as Walmer. That is in Kent. 

Edited 11 October , 2020 by Mark1959

[Ivor Anderson]

Ah, Thanks Mark. A bit of a distance away! I'll have a hunt near Walmer! 

Edited 25 September , 2022 by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Mark1959]

Walmer is probably a mistranscription of Walmley

 

Edited 11 October , 2020 by Mark1959

[Ivor Anderson]

Henry Shephard's Military Medal:

 

Edited 12 October , 2020 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

I've found a few more potential candidates name 'Henry Shephard' - one born 26 January 1883 in Aston Registry District (d. 9 Nov. 1962).

Even within his immediate family there was a variety of spelling of the surname by his siblings, perhaps due to baptismal entry spellings! 

I can find more on them than I can on him! Last pre WW1 sighting at 13 Willis Street, Ashted (NE of Birmingham) in 1911 (off Ancestry):

However, his enlistment/ next of kin address in 1915/16 must have been Walmley - No marriage record found.

Brothers: Oliver Charles b.1886, George Frederick b.1890 seems to have served as 8078 with 15th Hussars (53 Bloomsbury St. in 1939).

Another possible 'Henry Shephard' died in Sutton Coldfield in early 1953 aged 68.

Edited 14 October , 2020 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

A/Bdr. Henry William Culverwell 78422, of 252 S Battery, RGA is recorded in the battalion WD on 8th October 1917 as being awarded the MM along with Henry Sheppard (Sch. No. 113926). Image from TNA  WO-372-23-96176. HW Culverwell's service record is on Ancestry. He was born in Southsea in late 1891 and joined up on 8 December 1915. His service number 78422 is ahead of Henry Shephard's (78671), so Henry Shephard must have joined up around then. Culverwell crossed from Southampton to Le Havre on 4 February 1917. Henry William Culverwell was later KIA on 28 May 1918. 

Others listed on the medal roll as serving with 252 SB were: 78421 Albert James Knight, 78656 Albert John Tunnicliff and 78684 Gnr. Thomas Landsman.  

Gnr. Frederick James Mellish (78673 - next no. after Henry Shephard) joined up on 3 December 1915.

 

Edited 29 October , 2020 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

Casualties among 252 Siege Battery RGA 53 Brigade during 1917 (WD starts Feb. 1917)

1917 30 March - Gnr Frederick John Smith 119009

1917 4 June - Gnr A E Harper 120740

1917 11 June - Gnr Frederick John Bysouth 86717

1917 16 July - Gnr F Kettlewell 83866 ("burst in no. 2 gun pit, killing one and wounding 3 ORs")

1917 17 July - Gnr H Ryan 86251 ("one OR wounded yesterday died of wounds")

1917 5 Aug - Gnr Edward Bertie Riches 116130 ("one OR died of wounds" - 2 ORs severely wounded by shell falling in no.1 gun pit 4th Aug)

1917 7 Aug - Gnr Alfred Lee - 69560 ("one OR killed & one OR severely wounded")

1917 14 Aug - Bdr. Joseph Pyke Wake 104402

1917 19 Sept - Thomas Roger Pye 308310 ("one other rank killed at battery position" - Hazelbury Farm)

1917 23 Sept - Gnr Walter George Elson 285427 ("severely wounded the previous day" - Hooge)

1917 27 Sept - A/Bdr. M Hayes 116056 ("1 OR killed & 4 ORs wounded" - Hooge)

1917 3 Oct - Gunner V C Moon 122671 (battery moved to Verbrandenmolen on 29 Sept)

1917 3 Oct - Sergeant H Spencer 17971

1917 25 Oct - A/Bdr. Austin Sydney John Jarvis 72881

 

1918 The battery suffered its highest number of casualties during March - April 1918, most notable on the 25 April 1918.

Edited 30 October , 2020 by Ivor Anderson

[MrEd]

i only jsut found this thread, my grandfather served in 252 siege battery from 1917

[Ivor Anderson]

That's great MrEd. They only went to France in Feb 1917.

Henry Shephard's medal roll: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/5119/images/41629_636897_10746-00147?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=10b73bc2fd05a10331afa5cabfda1aea&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qzF2257&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=179980

[Ivor Anderson]

Others close by on the medal roll include:

[Ivor Anderson]

Although Henry Culverwell attested on 8 Dec 1915 he only enlisted (at Portsmouth) on 9 May 1916. He went to France with 252 SB the night of 3/4 Feb 1917

(SR Ancestry): https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1219&h=424235&tid=&pid=&queryId=bea33cf16a688bdb2f6000c2fab4cca7&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qzF2265&_phstart=successSource

Note that 252 SB was with 1st ANZAC Corps Heavy Artillery when he was awarded the MM:

Edited 25 September , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[MrEd]

Great stuff, I have been following the story if my grandfather. Patrick Brown who was with 252 siege.

here is a thread I started about 411 at Prees Heath undergoing training - most of the men then joined 252.

My grandfather (Patrick brown 153344) joined 252 on the 23/08/1917 but was wounded and discharged 16/09/18 - gunshot wound to left hand. I have a photo of him with fingers missing. The was diary doesn’t mention him by name but it does mention the incident - a breech explosion - becuase an officer died. Will dig that reference out.

his medal roll doesn’t specify 252 but his device record does.

 

[Ivor Anderson]

That's great. If he joined 252 SB on 23 August 1917 he would likely have met Henry Shephard and Henry Culverwell.

He would have been involved with 252 SB in the action near Hooge during Sept 1917 when they were awarded the MM.

[MrEd]

25 minutes ago, Ivor Anderson said:

That's great. If he joined 252 SB on 23 August 1917 he would likely have met Henry Shephard and Henry Culverwell.

He would have been involved with 252 SB in the action near Hooge during Sept 1917 when they were awarded the MM.

Yes in September 1917 they were supporting the attacks by 1 Anzac Corps on polygone wood, glencorse wood etc. they supported the attack throughout September it seems.

 

By all accounts September 17 onwards was rough, there were outbreaks of influenza, that incapcitated the battery, several large battles etc. in April 1918 the battery took heavy casualties after being shelled. The war diaries make for some interesting reading.

252 is a particular interest of mine so anything you dig up relating to 252 between 1917 to 1918 I would be particularly interested in - photos especially!

 

 

Edited 25 September , 2022 by MrEd

[Ivor Anderson]

On 11/10/2020 at 22:02, Mark1959 said:

He appears on a wounded list from the War Office dated 18/9/17.

I've just noticed that Henry Shephard was listed in the weekly casualty list on 25 Sept 1917, so he was probably wounded around 6 weeks before - in early August 1917?

It could have been on 4th August 1917 - 2 ORs severely and one slightly wounded?        Were they at Voormezeele (south of Ypres)?

Presumably that is when he earned his MM?

 

Edited 25 September , 2022 by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

I think they were at Voormezeele (south of Ypres) - 'Hazelbury Farm' nearby too: https://maps.nls.uk/view/101464903

Edited 25 September , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[MrEd]

6 minutes ago, Ivor Anderson said:

I think they were at Voormezeele (south of Ypres) - 'Hazelbury Farm' nearby too: https://maps.nls.uk/view/101464903

Yes that’s where I have them plotted to in Aug 1917.