Biography

Clifton Shephard was born in the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

Clifton Shephard was born on October 25, 1896 in or near Coffs Harbour, in the Colony of New South Wales. He was the eldest son and child of William Alfred Shephard (~1871–1958) and Ellen Johanna Davis (1874–1948). His birth was registered at Bellingen.^[1] In 1915, he was working as a farm labourer.^[2]

He enlisted in Armidale, New South Wales in December 1915, at the age of 19 years and 1 month with his parents’ consent, nominating his father as next of kin. After a period of training in Australia, he was sent overseas with the 33rd Battalion, embarking from Sydney onboard the HMAT A74 Marathon in May 1916 and arriving in England in July 1916. When he arrived in the United Kingdom, Shephard was promoted to lance corporal and was promoted to corporal in February 1917.^[3][2]

Corporal Clifton Shephard served in the Australian Imperial Force in World War I
Service started: 14 Dec 1915
Unit(s): 33rd Infantry Battalion
Service ended: 09 Jun 1917

Corporal Clifton Shephard was Killed in Action 9 June 1917 during World War I.

In early May 1917, the 33rd Battalion were in the trenches in the Le Touquet sector in northern France. Shephard was injured in the abdomen by a shell and his condition listed as "grave". However, he somehow survived and returned to the front after a period in hospital. He was killed in action on June 9, 1917 in the field, near Messines, West-Vlaanderen, België, aged just 20. He is buried in Toronto Avenue Cemetery in Belgium with 78 other Australians who died in the battle of Messines.^[4]

His service was commemorated in a Last Post Ceremony held at the Australian War Memorial on 7 June 2015. A full transcript of the speech delivered on the day is available here.

Sources

1. ↑ NSW Birth Index : (NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 12 Apr 2024), index entry for CLIFTON SHEPHARD; Father's Given Names: WILLIAM A, Mother's Given Names: ELLEN J; District: BELLINGEN; Registration Number: 28969/1896. [Event Date=25 October 1896]
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} NAA: NAA: B2455, SHEPHARD CLIFTON Service Number - 174 : Place of Birth - Coffs Harbour NSW : Place of Enlistment - Armidale NSW : Next of Kin - (Father) SHEPHARD William Alfred. Document images
3. ↑ AWM Last Post Ceremony, transcript & film: Australian War Memorial. "The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (174) Corporal Clifton Shephard, 33rd Battalion, First World War" https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2118658
   Speech transcript
   174 Corporal Clifton Shephard, 33rd Battalion
   KIA 9 June 1917
   Photograph: P07316.004
   Story by Dr Meleah Hampton, Historian, Military History Section, speech delivered 7 June 2015
   Accessed: 12 April 2024 by Susan Stopford
4. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12734736/clifton-shephard: accessed), memorial page for Cpl. Clifton Shephard (25 Oct 1896–9 Jun 1917), Find a Grave Memorial ID 12734736, citing Toronto Avenue Cemetery, Comines-Warneton, Arrondissement de Mouscron, Hainaut, Belgium; Maintained by Just Jack (contributor 49577555).

See also:

• FamilySearch Person: M1LK-QCQ