1/6th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Henry George Sheppard was born in Quenington, the son of James and Mary Sheppard, and later lived in Bibury. The 1901 census shows the family as – James, 33, and Mary, 37, plus children Mary, 14; Fenella, 12; Henry, 9, James, 7; May, 4. After leaving school Henry initially worked as a carter on a farm.
Private Sheppard’s army number – 5083 – indicates that he was a Regular soldier or a Reservist called back at the outbreak of the Great War. We can assume then that he went overseas with the battalion in March 1915. After a period of training in Essex, his 48th (South Midland) Division received orders to join the BEF in France, crossing from Folkestone to Boulogne on 30 March 1915. The battalion first went into the line near Ploegsteert attached to experienced 17th Brigade for instruction..
In late 1915 the battalion was on the Somme and was still there at the start of the July 1916 offensive. On 1 July 1916, 1/6th Battalion was in reserve and did not participate in the division’s actions. On 19 July the division went into the line north-east of Ovillers-la-Boiselle and, a few days later, on 23 July, according to the Official History, when the leading platoons went ‘over the top’, the 1/6th Gloucestershire was mown down, only a few bombers succeeding in entering the German line.
The 1/6th Battalion returned for another spell on 21 August, and early in the morning the Germans made a counter-attack against their forward position. This was repulsed but between 5.30am and noon the battalion made three separate attempts to occupy enemy positions, and each time was bombed out.
We do not know the circumstances of Private Sheppard’s death on 27 August 1916 but it is very likely that he had been wounded in the fighting a few days earlier and evacuated only as far as a Casualty Clearing Station. He is buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery in plot III, row, F, grave 6. Private Sheppard is listed on the Bibury war memorial.
Private Sheppard would have been entitled to the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Post war, a bonze memorial plaque – still in possession of the family – was also sent to his next of kin.
His cousin, 6523 Private William Mayo, 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards, was killed in action on the Aisne in September 1914 and is buried in Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension. He is commemorated on Lechlade war memorial.