More about Harry Shepherd

Harry Shepherd lived at 2 Tulloch Crescent, Dundee and was the brother of Miss Mary Shepherd, 2 Arduthie Road, Stonehaven and was employed as a Tenter in the Dundee Mills when, in June 1915 he volunteered to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn for service in the Royal Naval Division. He carried out his initial Naval training at the Crystal Palace in South London before going to the RND Depot at Blandford in Dorset for advanced military training in August. In October he was drafted to the Howe Battalion serving in Gallipoli. Shortly before the withdrawal he received a severe gunshot wound to his left thigh. He was evacuated in January 1916 to hospital Ras El Tin in Alexandra, Egypt. After treatment he returned to the Battalion which was carrying out garrison duties in the Aegean. In June the Battalion sailed for Marseille and entrained northwards to fight on the Western Front. The RND was going through a period of reorganisation and Harry Shepherd was drafted to the Hood Battalion but returned to the Howe at the end of July. During a period in the front line he was wounded in the face when a bullet hit a trench periscope he was using and he was hospitalised for a couple of months. In November he was sent to the Third Entrenching Battalion but returned to the Howe at the end of November. In February 1917 complications with his earlier face wound necessitated his return to hospital at Le Treport in France. At the end of March he was discharged back to the Howe Battalion and took part in the fighting at Gavrelle in April. On 8 and 9 June the Howe Battalion was in the front line trenches west of the Bois de la Maison Blanche. During both evenings British artillery laid down a “hurricane barrage” on the German trenches opposite the Howe and the Germans retaliated with fire on the British trenches. There were about 12 casualties in the Howe Battalion. Harry Shepherd was one of them and is listed as killed in action and was buried near Arras. His body was not found after the war and he is remembered at the Arras Memorial although Harry Shepherd was only added to the Addenda Panel in May 2020. He is listed as a Private and not as an Able Seaman in the Dundee City Roll of Honour (D3591).

30/12/15 Gun Shot Wound left thigh

10/8/16 Incised wound to face cut nose due to bullet hitting periscope.

Killed in action enemy shellfire.

Harry Shepherd   CZ/5208   Howe Bn   R.N.D.

Killed in action (enemy shellfire), 9th June 1917.  22^nd November 1917 Report received from Director of Graves Registration & Enquiries (G27382) Buried 4.5 miles N.E. of Arras ; A Tenter ; born 21st November 1895 ; Home address: 2 Tulloch Crescent, Dundee ; Next-of-Kin: Sister, Miss Mary Shepherd, 2 Arduthie Rd., Stonehaven; 29th June 1917 Death Certificate sent to Mrs. McDougall, 2 Tulloch Crescent, Dundee.

R.N.D. Data Base