Rifleman A E Shepherd VC

On 20th Nov 1917 at Villers Plouich, France, when his company was held up by a machine gun at point-blank range, Private Shepherd volunteered to rush the gun and although ordered not to, ran forward and threw a Mills bomb killing two gunners and capturing the gun. The company, continuing it's advance, came under heavy fire again, this time firing across the line of advance. When the last officer and NCO had become casualties, Private Shepherd took command of the company, ordered the men to lie down. He then went back some 70 yards to get the help of a tank which was used to give cover to their advance.
Albert Edward Shepherd was born in Royston, Near Barnsley in Yorkshire on 11th Jan 1897. He joined the 12th Battalion KRRC and after his heroics he was promoted to corporal and awarded the VC. He survived the War and lived to the age of 69, dying in Royston on 24th Oct 1966.

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