Name
Robert Shephard
1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/07/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
5436
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 135.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St John the Evangelist Memorial Church, Boxmoor, St Mary & St Joseph Roman Catholic Church Memorial, Boxmoor, St Francis of Assisi Memorial, Hammerfield, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley, Not on the Berkhamsted Memorial
Pre War
Robert Josiah Shephard was born in early 1896 in Great Berkhamsted, Herts, the son of Josiah and Annie Shephard and one of ten children. He was named Josiah Robert J Shepherd on the Civil Registration Birth Index but always seems to have been known as Robert.
His father was a Baker and the family moved to Boxmoor soon after Robert's birth. On the 1901 Census, the family were living at 19a Cowper Road, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was working as a Journeyman Baker. They moved again in 1903 to Puller Road.
By the time of the 1911 Census they were living at 4 Grosvenor Terrace, Hemel Hempstead. His father was still employed as a Journeyman Baker but Robert and his two elder sisters were working in the envelope factory. (John Dickinson & Co).
He gave his address on enlistment as 27 Glenview Terrace, Hammerfield, Boxmoor and his parents later lived at 92 Anchor Lane, Hemel Hempstead.
It is likely the family attended the Roman Catholic Church of St Mary and St Joseph, Boxmoor, as Robert is listed on their Roll of Honour, although there does not appear to be a memorial.
Wartime Service
Robert enlisted at Hertford in August 1915 and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment, being posted to the 1st Battalion. He was sent to Bury St Edmunds for basic training before being sent to France.
In July 1916 the 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment fought in the Battle of the Somme. On 14 July 1916 the Battalion took over from the 16th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade in the trenches at Festubert. On 19 July a party of 3 officers and 60 other ranks took part in a raid on enemy trenches which began at 10.40 pm on 19 July. The part of the trench that was raided had been evacuated by the Germans. The raiding party were in the trenches for 10 minutes as arranged, but were bombed from the support line. The casualties consisted of 3 officers wounded, 3 other ranks killed, one missing and 12 wounded.
Robert was one of the casualties and was killed in action on 20 July 1916, aged 20. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His father Josiah received a £3 war gratuity and pay owing of £2 2s 4d. Records exist suggesting his mother received a pension, possibly 5 shillings a week, however no amount is shown on the record card. His brother Herbert also served with the Hertfordshire Regiment and survived the war. N.B. Ancestry service record for Robert Shepherd appears to have been mixed with those of Alfred Shepherd, who also served with the Hertfordshire Regiment (Reg. No. 5290)
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, parish.rcdow.org.uk/St-Mary-and-St-Joseph-WW1, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
