Name
Alfred Shepherd
1873
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/02/1919
48
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Driver
T4/108298
Royal Army Service Corps
21st Army Aux. Horse Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BELGRADE CEMETERY
IV.B.2.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
WITH CHRIST
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock, Not on the Baldock Town Memorial
Pre War
Alfred Shepherd was born in 1873 in Clothall, nr Baldock Herts, the son of Sarah Shepherd and was baptised on 13 December 1873 at Clothall. His mother married Joseph Dowler in 1882 and on the 1891 Census Alfred was living with his mother and stepfather Joseph Dowler along with half sisters, Alice, Ada and Eliza at Church End, Rushden, Herts where he was working as an agricultural labourer.
By the time of the 1901 Census he was living with his cousin William Simmons at 27 Portland Road, Tottenham, Middx and working as a omnibus conductor. On the 1911 Census he was listed as working as a gravel pit labourer and had moved to New Road, Woolmer Green, Welwyn, Herts, where he was living with his sister Eliza, her husband and their three children. Eliza had married George Brown in 1906 at Rushden, Herts.
At the time of enlistment, Alfred was living at Hooks Cross, Watton, Herts.
Wartime Service
Alfred enlisted on 6 July 1915 and joined the Army Service Corps, serving as a Driver with the 21st Army Auxiliary Horse Company.
He was found dead in his billet on 8 February 1919, aged 48, and a post mortem revealed fractures of the sternum, right clavicle, 2nd, 3rd and 4th ribs on the right side and 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th ribs on the left side. The right pleural cavity contained 2 pints of blood with a small amount on the left hand side, and there were also extensive lacerations of both lungs.
A Court of Inquiry found that he had died from injuries sustained by falling off a wagon, possibly whilst under the influence of liquor. For the record it was decided that he should be reported as "Died of Injuries (acc)". He is buried in Belgrade Cemetery, Belgium.
Additional Information
A war gratuity of £21 and pay owing of £9 12s 4d was divided equally between his half sisters Alice Smith, Mary Field and Eliza Brown. His sister Alice applied for a pension but it was refused.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
