Arthur Cyril Sheppard

Arthur Cyril Sheppard was the son of Arthur and Fanny Emma Sheppard (née Winfield). His father Arthur was born in about 1856 in Mansfield Woodhouse and his mother Fanny was born in 1861 in Lenton, Nottingham. They were married at Mansfield Woodhouse St Edmund King & Martyr in November 1877 and had eight children, one of whom died before 1911. Their first five children were born in Mansfield Woodhouse: William Arthur b. 1880, Lily Maria b. 1882, Charles Lester Albert b. 1883 d. 1905, Hetty b. 1886 and Arthur Cyril birth registered 1890 (JFM); with the exception of Arthur Cyril who was baptised at East Stoke St Oswald in July 1892 the other children were baptised at Mansfield St Edmund. The sixth child, Fanny May, was born in East Stoke in 1892 and baptised on the same date as her brother Arthur Cyril. John Winfield was born in 1894 in Radcliffe on Trent and the youngest child Nellie Elizabeth was born in Southwell in 1896 and baptised with her brother John at Southwell Minster the same year. In 1891 Arthur, a groom (domestic), and Fanny were living on Station Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, with their first child, William. They and their five children, William, Lily, Charles, Hetty and Arthur, had moved to East Stoke, Nottinghamshire, by 1891 where Arthur snr. now worked as a groom and gardener. Fanny was born in East Stoke the following year but the family was living in Radcliffe on Trent by the time the seventh child was born in 1894 and in Southwell by 1896 when the youngest was born. By 1901 Arthur and Fanny were living in Jenkin's House, Kirklington Road, Southwell. Six of their eight children were in the home on the night of the census: Charles a gardener's boy, Hetty a lace worker, Arthur, Fanny, John and Nellie. The eldest son, William, has not yet been traced on the 1901 census but Lily, a leather worker, was a boarder in Mansfield in the home of another leather worker. Charles, the second son, died four years later in 1905, aged 20. Arthur, now working as a jobbing gardener, and Fanny had moved to Waterloo House, Southwell, by 1911. Only Arthur Cyril and Fanny were still living with their parents; both were lace factory hands. Hetty had married Charles Cave in 1907 and they were living on Westgate, Southwell. The other four surviving children have not yet been traced on the 1911 Census. Arthur snr. completed a form for the army in 1919 listing his late son's surviving blood relatives. These were his parents, Arthur and Fanny, who were still living at Waterloo House, two brothers and three sisters. William was living in Burton on Trent (m. Agnes Emily Cowan, 1904) and John Winfield was living in Didsbury, near Manchester. One of the sisters was Fanny (Taylor) who had married Edgar Taylor in 1916 and was living in Thurgarton, Nottinghamshire. The details of the two other married sisters were largely illegible but may have been Hetty Cave (age 31) who was living in Easthorpe, Southwell, and Mrs Cooper (age ?22) of North Gate, Newark, who may have been Nellie Elizabeth.

1911 - lace factory hand (Carey & Sons, Southwell). Arthur joined the Territorial Force (Sherwood Foresters) in 1908 and served continuously to 1914 until transferring to embodied service on 5 August 1914.

King Street, Southwell. Enlisted Southwell (1908).

1/8th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). Arthur Cecil Sheppard enlisted in the Territorial Force on a Four Year Service (UK) engagement on 21 September 1908. He was 18 yrs and 10 months old, living on King Street, Southwell, and employed by lace manufacturer, Carey and Sons of Southwell. Arthur completed annual training between 1909 and 1913, re-engaging on 20 September 1912 and 20 September 1913 and volunteering for embodied service on 5 August 1915. Arthur was promoted lance corporal on 15 July 1910, to lance sergeant on 1 November 1914 and sergeant on 2 August 1915. Arthur served at home from 5 August 1914 to 1 March 1915 and then with the BEF France from 2 March. He was awarded the DCM for gallantry on 30 July 1915 (see 'Extra information). However, he was admitted to a casualty clearing station on 7 August 1915 suffering from a wound to his hand but probably returned to duty almost immediately. A week later on 13 August he was admitted for treatment for paratyphoid, transferring to 50th NMN Casualty Clearing Station on 18 August; he was discharged to duty on 30 August. It is likely that Arthur had a short period of home leave after this date as mentioned in a letter in 1916 from his mother to the military authorities (see 'Extra information'). According to a report of his death in the local paper, Arthur was killed by machine gun fire on 22 November 1915 after he had climbed over the trench parapet to attend to sandbags that had been displaced by a shell burst. He is buried in St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L'Avoue. Arthur had served for 7 yrs and 63 days (including TF time) and qualfied for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He was awarded the DCM in September 1915. CWGC - St Vaast Post Military Cemetery (extract): The cemetery lies near the village of Richebourg-l'Avoue, 9 kilometres north-east of Bethune. 'The village of Richebourg-L'Avoué was held by British forces from the autumn of 1914 until it was overrun by German units advancing west during the great Spring Offensive in April 1918 ... During the Battle of Festubert in May 1915, British soldiers began burying their fallen comrades in an old orchard near a forward dressing station which was located at the terminus of a trench tramway between the hamlet of Richebourg St. Vaast and La Croix Barbet. The cemetery was used by fighting units serving in the front-line and field ambulances until July 1917.' (www.cwgc.org)

CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'For ever with the Lord' The citation for the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal was published in the 'London Gazette' on 15th September 1915:- “For conspicuous gallantry on the 30th July 1915, at Ypres, when, on his own initiative, he led a bombing party, under a heavy bomb and rifle fire, against the attacking enemy. Having thrown all his grenades, he went back and brought up a fresh supply, and later, having lost five men, he brought up a reinforcement.” Report published 29th November 1915 in the Nottingham Daily Express :- “RIDDLED WITH BULLETS. Death of Southwell Man who Won the D.C.M. LAST HEROIC ACTION. “News was received on Saturday [27th November 1915] that Sergeant Arthur Shepherd, [sic] of the 8th Sherwood Foresters, who was recently awarded the D.C.M., was killed on Tuesday last, November 23rd. The news was brought by Private A. Gilbert, who had come home to Southwell on leave. “A shell burst near the trenches and displaced the sandbags that guarded them. Sergeant Shepherd immediately climbed over the parapet to put them straight. The Germans at once trained a machine gun on to the gallant soldiers, who was absolutely riddled with bullets. “He was buried next day with full honours.” Notice published in the Nottingham Evening Post, 22nd November 1916:- 'SHEPPARD. – In proud and loving memory of Sergt. A. C. Sheppard, D.C.M., Sherwood Foresters, killed in action November 22nd, 1915. Never forgotten. – Ethel' Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 'History of the 1/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters 1914-1919', Captain WCC Weetman MC CdG (1920): The Battalion was in the Richebourg sector from about 4 November. 'The Boche machine gunners gave us a certain amount of trouble too, particularly at night, when they regularly sprayed all the area from the Rue du Bois to 'Windy Corner', doubtless hoping to catch transport and carrying parties ... It was a very unlucky burst from one of these one night that killed that very brave soldier Sergt. Sheppard, who had prviously been awarded the DM for gallantry at Hooge.' (pp101-102) Arthur Cyril's personal property was returned to his father in March 1916. However, a letter from his mother survives with other army service documents and is an enquiry about some items which his parents had not received. The undated letter reads: 'Waterloo House Southwell. Dear Sir, On receiving Sgt A Sheppard DCM No. 752 8th Btt Sherwood Foresters personal property Sat. morning March 11. We beg to inform you that there is neither (-) souvenirs or DCM ribbon. And may we kindly put before you [several words illegible] the Bishop of Southwell and Friends presented him with a gold watch on his short leave from France for winning the honour of the DCM which was only a short time before being killed. And also a small ring on his little finger. I am taking the liberty of forwarding the (?paper) which came from the front to you. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, Mrs Sheppard.’