William Arthur Shepherd

Personal Information
Date of Birth	28 Sep 1877
Place of Birth	Subton, Surrey, England
Death	25 Dec 1950
Place of Death	Maddington, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	38 years, 6 months
Description	5'8 ¾" (1.73m) tall; weight 141lbs (64 kg); fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair.
Occupation	brickmaker
Religion	Church of England
Address	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs Edith Emma Shepherd
Military Information
Reg Number	2039
Date of Enlistment	21 Mar 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	44th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements / 11th Brigade, 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation	1 Oct 1916 - 2 Dec 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A23 Suffolk
Date of Return	1 Nov 1917 - 25 Dec 1917
Ship Returned On	HMAT A68 Anchises
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott War Memorial (South panel),Br />Gosnells RSL Honour Board
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Had 12 years with the Scots Guards prior to arriving in Australia. Electoral Roll entries - 1916 - 1917 brickmaker at 2nd avenue, Kelmscott with Edith

War Service

Entered 56 Depot Company at Blackboy Hill on 21 Mar 1916, and was allocated to the 20th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion as a Temporary Corporal on 13 Apr 1916. On 3 May he was sent to NCO's School, and on completion of the course he was allocated to the 21st draft. However, on 7 Sep 1916 Bill was reallocated to the 3rd reinforcement draft for the 44th Battalion, travelling with them to England.

On arrival in Plymouth, England he entered the 3rd Division's Training Battalion as a Private, and proceeded to France on the HMT Invicta from Folkestone on 4 Feb 1917.

Bill was taken on strength by the 44th Battalion on 8 Feb 1917 as the battalion was coming out of the line near Armentiès for a rest. By 21 Apr Bill was ill enough to visit the 9th Australian Field Ambulance who on 30 Apr 1917 referred him on to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station. Placed on Ambulance Train No. 6 on 1 May 1917, he was admitted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital in Wimereux on 3 May 1917 before being embarked the same day on HMHS St Patrick in Boulogne for England.

Bill was admitted to the 1st London General Hospital in Camberwell suffering from bronchitis. Well enough to be granted furlough from 23 Jul to 6 Aug 1917 he then reported to No 3 Command Depot in Hurdcott. Reclassified there was an attempt to get him well enough to return to France, but it was unsuccessful. By 1 Nov 1917 is it decided that his health will not improve enough for him to re-enter the fight, so he was sent home for early discharge.

Medical discharge for chronic bronchitis occurred at the 5th Military District on 24 Jan 1918.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 - 1950 bricklayer living in Yule street, Maddington. Edith died on 8 Dec 1964 in Maddington.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial