Name
Samuel Gurney Sheppard (DSO & Bar)
23 Mar 1865
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/08/1915
50
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant Colonel
Hertfordshire Yeomanry
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Distinguished Service Order
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GREEN HILL CEMETERY
II. C. 22.
Turkey (including Gallipoli)
Headstone Inscription
O Life Who Dwellest In Earth & Sun, I Have Lived I Praise & Adore Thee
UK & Other Memorials
Christchurch Memorial, Little Heath, Potters Bar, Little Heath & Bentley Heath Memorial, Potters Bar, All Souls Chapel Book of Remembrance, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire Yeomanry Memorial, St Albans Cathedral
Pre War
Samuel Gurney Sheppard was born in Walton-on-Thames on 23 Mar 1865 (baptised 22 Apr 1865 at Walton) to Samuel Gurney Sheppard, stockbroker, and Mary Ann (nee Byas).
On the 1871 Census the family of parents, Kathleen M (born 1863), Samuel, Edward B (born 1867), Gerald A (born 1868( and Mary Ann (born 1869) were living at Oxford Square, Paddington, London with 8 domestic servants.
In 1881 Census Samuel was being educated at Eton. On the 1891 Census Samuel, a stockbroker, was living at Jermyn Street, St James, London.
Samuel served in the Boer War with the Imperial Yeomanry and was Mentioned in Despatches in Dec 1901: "32nd Company, Imperial Yeomanry, Lieutenant S G Sheppard. On 18th September, headed a party which swam to some islands in the Vaal River held by armed Boers and took them prisoners. On 19th September, rescued a man from drowning at great personal risk". He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for the first of these actions and invested by the King 24 Oct 1902. He was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with five clasps having served in Transvaal, Orange River, and Cape Colony.
Samuel became a Major in the Hertfordshire Yeomanry on 20 Dec 1905. He married Eileen Mary Winchester Clowes of Great Offley House, Hitchin, who was 19 years his junior on 27 June 1906. They had four children: Kathleen Penelope Sheppard (born 1908), Daniel Gurney Sheppard (born 1909), Ellie Dorothea Sheppard ((1911) and Graham Hugh Sheppard (born 1913.
On the 1911 Census the family of Samuel, Eileen. Kathleen Penelope, Daniel Gurney, Ellie Dorothea and Graham Hugh were living at Leggatts, North Mimms, Potters Bar.
Wartime Service
Samuel went to Egypt as second-in-command of the Hertfordshire Yeomanry on 10 Sept 1914. He was promoted to Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel in Jan 1915 and in command of 1st Herts. Also in Jan 1915 the Herts Yeomanry became part of The Yeomanry Mounted Brigade and moved to Gallipoli as dismounted Troops and became a unit of the 5th Mounted Brigade which landed at Suvla Bay on the night of 17 Aug 1915 taking up reserve positions at Lala Baba. At about 5 pm on 21 Aug 1915 the yeomanry were ordered to Advance during the Battle of Scimitar Hill following the failure of attacks by 29 Division on Scimitar Hill. The yeomanry advanced in columns into Mist and smoke and were subject to bombardment from Turkish Artillery situated overlooking the Battleground from the Anafarta Hills. Samuel was wounded by shrapnel on 21 Aug 1915 ear Chocolate Hill during this action and died of his wounds on the next day.
A letter written by a sergeant in the Hertfordshire Yeomanry stated "Among the first to fall was our gallant leader, Lieutenant Colonel S G Sheppard. He was bravely marching at the head of the regiment, when he was terribly wounded by shrapnel, but as his men reached him he very gallantly sat up to urge them on. His last command: 'Go on, the Herts! Go on, the Herts!' will be remembered by all ranks for all time to come".
Additional Information
His effects of £214 1s 2d and probate of £67903 4s 1d was awarded to his widow. She ordered his headstone inscription while living at Great Offley House, Hitchin, Herts., in reads: "O Life Who Dwellest In Earth & Sun, I Have Lived I Praise & Adore Thee".
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Gareth Hughes, Martin Cope, Paul Johnson, Jonty Wild
