HAROLD
SHEPHERD
Private
29452
Harold Shepherd was born in Newton Ferrers on 29 December 1896, the youngest of the eight children of
Samuel (a labourer) and Eliza Shepherd.
They lived at 9, Fore Street, now Riverside Road East, not far from Samuel’s brother
John and his family. Harold was baptised at Holy Cross Church on 16 March 1897, and attended school (Roll No. 391) from 1900 (date
is not given) to 23 December 1909.
He enlisted at Plymouth, joining first 2/1st
North Somerset Yeomanry (Official No. 2266) before transferring to the 1st
Battalion, The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (1 DCLI). 1 DCLI was part of 95th Brigade in
5th Division. The Division
moved from France to Italy in December 1917, but had
returned to the Western Front in April 1918 as part of the fight to contain the
massive German offensive which began on 21 March 1918. The action in which Harold Shepherd fell
wounded was the Battle of Hazebrouck, also known as the third phase of the Battle of the Lys, in which 5th Division played a prominent role in the
defence of Nieppe Forest.
1 DCLI’s war diary records the battalion moving out on
12 April 1918 from bivouacs at Thiennes to
go into the front line. A battalion of
Coldstream Guards were to their left, and on their right a battalion of Devon’s. The Germans held L’Epinette in front of
them. At 10.00am on 13 April the Germans
attacked the Coldstreams, who were forced back thereby leaving 1 DCLI’s left
flank exposed. In manoeuvring to protect
this flank, ‘A’ Company lost nearly half its strength in casualties. After desperate fighting, the line was
stabilised, and a quiet night followed with the British and Germans dug in 200
yards apart. At first light on the 14
April, the enemy were seen to be preparing to attack along the whole battalion
front. The attack did not come until 1.00pm and two hours of fierce
fighting ensued before the Germans were beaten back with heavy loss. Next day 1DCLI was relieved in the line by 1st
East
Surrey’s.
At some time during these two days of hard fighting
Harold Shepherd received wounds from which he subsequently died on 17 April 1918 at the age of 21.
He is remembered with honour at Aire Communal Cemetery (Plot III.C.31).
