Piper D R Sheperd

[ronmarsden]

Piper D.R.Sheperd 2nd Bn Black Watch 19/9/1924.

Battalion stationed at Bordon Camp at that time. Looking for any information of war service?

 

[Acknown]

Any other facts? DOB? Family?
Acknown

Afterthought: No medals?

Afterthought 2: No D R Sheperd in MICs. Are you sure it's Sheperd? Whilst indistinct, the 'herd' looks longer - 'Shepheard'? There are more of the latter in the MIC records, only three Shepherds, and none DR. But I suspect you have already looked.

Edited 2 April , 2022 by Acknown

[alf mcm]

He is David Robertson Shepherd, born Crail 7th February 1902. There is a family tree, with the same photo, on Ancestry under the name of David Robinson Shepherd. Scotlandspeople record his birth under David Robertson Shephard.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/31576464/person/20088169782/facts

Regards,

Alf McM

[TullochArd]

D.R. Shepherd as Alf McM identifies....... and it's also how D.R. spells his name at the bottom of the photo.  In line with tradition, the Pipe Banner is likely a personal item of a Company Commander and at this point he likely a specified Company Piper.  An i.d. on the heraldic squirrel and Latin motto ("Dum spiro spero" ..... "While I breathe I hope") will possibily produce his name and then, as long shot, the company D.R. represents on this date.  Absent medals, if he had any, would not be correct in this particular dress.

Edited 2 April , 2022 by TullochArd
"While I breathe, I hope"

[Ron Abbott]

There is mention in the 5th Jul 1924 edition of the St Andrews Citizen of a Piper D Shepherd of the Black Watch playing at the wedding in Quetta of D/M Henry Watson Balfour of the 1st Black Watch.

Given the location and date, if it is the same man; then he may have been 1st Battalion (at least at that time).

Looks like he died in Cupar, Fife in 1978 with surname spelt as Shepherd.  A man of the same name and age was also married in 1929 with the marriage registered in Leuchars, Fife.  

 

 

 

Edited 2 April , 2022 by Ron Abbott

[ronmarsden]

Thank you for the information guys.

The pipe banner a squirrel holding an acorn represents thrift. The motto DUM SPIRO SPERO "While I Breath I Hope", I believe is associated with Fife. Also its the motto of the Royal & Ancient St. Andrews.

[ronmarsden]

7 minutes ago, Ron Abbott said:

There is mention in the 5th Jul 1924 edition of the St Andrews Citizen of a Piper D Shepherd of the Black Watch playing at the wedding in Quetta of D/M Henry Watson Balfour of the 1st Black Watch.

Given the location and date, if it is the same man; then he may have been 1st Battalion.

 

 

Thanks Ron I assumed he was 2nd Bn because of the kilt pin and the background of the picture does not look to be Indian setting.

 

[rolt968]

9 hours ago, ronmarsden said:

Thanks Ron I assumed he was 2nd Bn because of the kilt pin and the background of the picture does not look to be Indian setting.

 

Remember that is a studio photo, taken in front of a back cloth. It could have been taken anywhere.

[Ron Abbott]

10 hours ago, ronmarsden said:

Thanks Ron I assumed he was 2nd Bn because of the kilt pin and the background of the picture does not look to be Indian setting.

 

Fair point.  Time to get Gordon92 on here for his expertise on the kilt-pin issue! 

Perhaps Piper Shepherd had returned from India by the time the photo was taken and transferred to the 2nd Battalion, however another thing of note is that he is wearing tropical attire in that photograph.

  

[6RRF]

Are you sure its tropical kit? It looks white rather than khaki. To be honest I don't know about after the war, but pre-war pipers wore white jackets in drill order 

[TullochArd]

21 hours ago, Ron Abbott said:

Perhaps Piper Shepherd had returned from India by the time the photo was taken and transferred to the 2nd Battalion, however another thing of note is that he is wearing tropical attire in that photograph.  

There's a good possibility that the image is an older one and he had a small stack of the same photo taken in India and he simply signed off and dated "1924" as a wedding souvenir?  

Photos were certainly more of a chore to arrange in those days and set pieces such as this were expensive and difficult to arrange.  From personal experience, my father, also a piper in India, did just that and we still have about half a identical images left over from his photo session (below) 

If it is an earlier image, post dated, it would perhaps explain the dress/Company Commanders banner and lack of medals?

 

Edited 3 April , 2022 by TullochArd

[6RRF]

1 hour ago, TullochArd said:

There's a good possibility that the image is an older one and he had a small stack of the same photo taken in India and he simply signed off and dated "1924" as a wedding souvenir?  

That's certainly a possibility and your father's portrait perfectly illustrates the difference between the tropical kit he's wearing with a khaki frock with pockets on the breast and a falling collar and the white waist-length drill jacket with standing collar, twisted cords on the shoulders, closely set buttons and no pockets worn by Piper Shepherd

Edited 3 April , 2022 by 6RRF