Harold Shepherd MID

Harold Shepherd MID

Shepherd Brothers Harold back left ? The Westralian Battalion, N Browning, page 209
Personal Information
Date of Birth	Not known
Place of Birth	Rustington, Sussex, England
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 8 months
Description	5'4½" (1.64m) tall ; 130lbs 58.967 kg ; fresh complexion ; blue eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation	Motor driver
Religion	Church of England
Address	Maddington, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr John Shepherd
Military Information
Reg Number	237
Date of Enlistment	3 Jan 1916
Rank	Airman 2nd Class
Unit/Formation	Australian Flying Corps, B Flight
Date of Embarkation	16 Mar 1916 ‒ 14 Apr 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A67 Orsova Melbourne to Suez
Date of Return	12 Jul 1919 ‒ 29 Aug 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Indarra
Monument	Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal Mentioned in Despatches

War Service

Entered camp on 3 Jan 1916, and two days later was sent to Signal School. On 15 Jan 1916 he embarked on the SS Indarra for Melbourne, where on 22 Jan 1916 he was allocated to No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps which travelled to Egypt, and while it landed at Suez, it was based at Abbassia near Cairo.

On 19 Jul 1917 Harold was seen by the 1/3rd Lowland Field Ambulance before being passed on to the 66h Casualty Clearing Station the same day. Discharged to duty on 28 Jul 1917 he was again with the 66th Casualty Clearing Station on 3 Aug 1917. This time he was placed on a Ambulance Train to El Arish where on 4 Aug 1917 he entered the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital before being admitted to the Citadel General Hospital in Cairo with pleurodynia (a flu like viral condition). On 4 Sep 1917 he was transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Abbassia, and then on 27 Sep 1917 to the 14th Australian General Hospital. On 27 Aug 1917 Harold had, in his absence, been remustered as a Fitter & Turner.

Harold's health continued to cause problems and on 23 Oct 1917 he was again in a Convalescent Depot before transferring to the British Red Cross Hospital at Montazah on 6 Nov 1917 Harold was discharged to duty on 22 Nov 1917> On 26 Feb 1918 he was sent to Moascar to a wait a ship to England.

On 15 Mar 1918 Harold was formally transferred from the 1st Squadron AFC in Palestine to the AFC Depot in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England. Here he was assigned to the 7th Training Squadron before being posted to the No. 2 Squadron Australian Flying Corps at Leighterton in Gloucestershire on 18 Jul 1918.

At 2nd-Two Squadron Station AFC on 8 Dec 1918 he was charged with "Whilst on active service, neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he, when ordered to report with a Leyland lorry for pupils at 7:30am on 2 Dec 1918, failed to do so." He was awarded a loss of 4 day's pay.

Married while in the UK on 8 May 1919 to Sarah Elizabeth Hudson, aged 21 from 50 Linton Heath, Linton, near Burton on Trent, he came home and was discharged at the 5th Military District on 29 Aug 1919.

Award Comment

Mention in Despatches

"The name of the undermentioned has been brought to the notice of the Secretary of State for War by the General Sir Edmund Allenby, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., Commander-in-Chief, Egyptian Expeditionary Force, for distinguished service in connection with military operations under his command: No A/237 2nd Class Air Mechanic H Shepherd." Awarded, and promulgated, 'London Gazette', Second Supplement No. 30480 (16 January 1918); 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 76 (23 May 1918).