Brigadier-GeneralGordon Strachey Shephard, DSO,MC (9 July 1885 – 19 January 1918) was a Royal Flying Corps commander. He was the highest-ranking officer of the flying services to be killed in service during the First World War.
The second son of Sir Horatio Shephard, a judge, and Lady Shephard, of 58 Montagu Square, London, Shephard attended Eton College from 1898 to 1903, then the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He belonged to the Royal Cruising Club, where his skills as a yachtsman would prove useful later in life. He was gazetted second lieutenant to a Regular Army battalion of the Royal Fusiliers on 28 January 1905. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in 1912, the year of its formation.[citation needed] However, in July 1914, he used his skills as a yachtsman for a quite different purpose, to surreptitiously assist his friend Erskine Childers (who was executed by the Free State government in 1922 during the Irish Civil War) in landing a consignment of weaponry at Howth aboard Childers' yacht, The Asgard, on behalf of the Irish Volunteers, an action which, had it become known, would have resulted in, at a minimum, the termination of Shephard's military career, if not far more drastic punishment. His covert operations came to an abrupt halt when he and a companion were briefly detained by the German authorities at Emden, after they were seen taking photographs in a sensitive area.[1]
On 22 August 1914, Shephard landed near Maubeuge for petrol, where he was given first-hand accounts of the fighting from French cavalry falling back from the Sambre canal. On 24 August 1914, he and Lieutenant Ian Bonham-Carter reported to the Staff that General von Kluck's right wing would swamp the British Army unless the retreat was continued. On 4 November 1914, Shephard narrowly escaped after the longeron of his BE2b, "487", was shot through.[1]
At the start of 1915, Shephard assumed command of the newly formed No. 10 Squadron, which was then assigned to a training role at Farnborough. Two months later and before No. 10 Squadron deployed to France, Shephard was reassigned to command No. 6 Squadron. In 1917 Shephard was promoted to command I Brigade RFC and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, which gave him greater opportunity to further the careers of able pilots.[1]
Deathedit
On 19 January 1918, aged 32, Shephard decided to visit the aerodrome at Auchel, where three of his squadrons were stationed. His Nieuport Scout "B3610" spun into the ground. He was lifted from the wreckage but died several hours later in hospital. He was the highest-ranking officer of the flying services to be killed in a theatre of war in the First World War,[2] and was buried in the Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, in the Pas de Calais, France (plot VI, B15).[1]
Legacyedit
The Gordon Shephard Memorial Essay Prize was established as a memorial to Shephard.[3] Shepard's father, Sir Horatio, left a sum of money in trust to award annual prizes for essays on reconnaissance and related subjects submitted by RAF officers and airmen.
Other readingedit
The Memoirs of Gordon Shephard (edited by Shane Leslie); privately published (1924)
Profile of Gordon Strachey Shephard excerpted from "Bloody red tabs: general officer casualties of the Great War 1914–1918"
Centre for World War I Studies (UK)
Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Brigadier-General G S Shephard
HMS Caroline: Shared Belfast Commemoration Expresses New Attitude To World War I In Ireland by W. M. Nixon in Sailing on Saturdays, Afloat magazine, 28 May 2016
Memoir of Gordon Shephard, edited by Sir Shane Leslie, privately printed in 1924, held in the library at Castle Leslie in County Monaghan
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This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations January 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message Brigadier General Gordon Strachey Shephard DSO MC 9 July 1885 19 January 1918 was a Royal Flying Corps commander He was the highest ranking officer of the flying services to be killed in service during the First World War Gordon Strachey ShephardBorn 1885 07 09 9 July 1885Madras IndiaDied19 January 1918 1918 01 19 aged 32 Auchel FranceBuriedLapugnoy Military CemeteryAllegianceUnited KingdomService wbr branchBritish Army 1904 18 Years of service1904 1918RankBrigadier GeneralCommands heldI Brigade RFC 1917 18 12th Corps Wing RFC 1915 17 No 6 Squadron RFC 1915 No 10 Squadron RFC 1915 Battles warsFirst World WarAwardsDistinguished Service OrderMilitary CrossMentioned in Despatches 2 Contents 1 Early life and military service 2 Death 3 Legacy 4 Other reading 5 References 6 External linksEarly life and military service editThe second son of Sir Horatio Shephard a judge and Lady Shephard of 58 Montagu Square London Shephard attended Eton College from 1898 to 1903 then the Royal Military College Sandhurst He belonged to the Royal Cruising Club where his skills as a yachtsman would prove useful later in life He was gazetted second lieutenant to a Regular Army battalion of the Royal Fusiliers on 28 January 1905 He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps RFC in 1912 the year of its formation citation needed However in July 1914 he used his skills as a yachtsman for a quite different purpose to surreptitiously assist his friend Erskine Childers who was executed by the Free State government in 1922 during the Irish Civil War in landing a consignment of weaponry at Howth aboard Childers yacht The Asgard on behalf of the Irish Volunteers an action which had it become known would have resulted in at a minimum the termination of Shephard s military career if not far more drastic punishment His covert operations came to an abrupt halt when he and a companion were briefly detained by the German authorities at Emden after they were seen taking photographs in a sensitive area 1 On 22 August 1914 Shephard landed near Maubeuge for petrol where he was given first hand accounts of the fighting from French cavalry falling back from the Sambre canal On 24 August 1914 he and Lieutenant Ian Bonham Carter reported to the Staff that General von Kluck s right wing would swamp the British Army unless the retreat was continued On 4 November 1914 Shephard narrowly escaped after the longeron of his BE2b 487 was shot through 1 At the start of 1915 Shephard assumed command of the newly formed No 10 Squadron which was then assigned to a training role at Farnborough Two months later and before No 10 Squadron deployed to France Shephard was reassigned to command No 6 Squadron In 1917 Shephard was promoted to command I Brigade RFC and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general which gave him greater opportunity to further the careers of able pilots 1 Death editOn 19 January 1918 aged 32 Shephard decided to visit the aerodrome at Auchel where three of his squadrons were stationed His Nieuport Scout B3610 spun into the ground He was lifted from the wreckage but died several hours later in hospital He was the highest ranking officer of the flying services to be killed in a theatre of war in the First World War 2 and was buried in the Lapugnoy Military Cemetery in the Pas de Calais France plot VI B15 1 Legacy editThe Gordon Shephard Memorial Essay Prize was established as a memorial to Shephard 3 Shepard s father Sir Horatio left a sum of money in trust to award annual prizes for essays on reconnaissance and related subjects submitted by RAF officers and airmen Other reading editThe Memoirs of Gordon Shephard edited by Shane Leslie privately published 1924 References edit a b c d Gordon Strachey Shephard extensive biodata Circumstances of Shepard s death detailed Gordon Shephard Memorial Prize Essay PDF External links edit Roland Sargent Collection Journals Cross and Cockade Great Britain Journal of the British Society of World War I Aero Historians Profile of Gordon Strachey Shephard excerpted from Bloody red tabs general officer casualties of the Great War 1914 1918 Centre for World War I Studies UK Air Power Studies website UK Air of Authority A History of RAF Organisation Brigadier General G S Shephard HMS Caroline Shared Belfast Commemoration Expresses New Attitude To World War I In Ireland by W M Nixon in Sailing on Saturdays Afloat magazine 28 May 2016 Memoir of Gordon Shephard edited by Sir Shane Leslie privately printed in 1924 held in the library at Castle Leslie in County Monaghan Military offices New titleSquadron established Commanding Officer No 10 Squadron RFCJanuary March 1915 Succeeded byU J D Bourke Preceded byJ H W Becke Commanding Officer No 6 Squadron RFCMarch December 1915 Succeeded byR P Mills Preceded byDuncan Pitcher Brigadier General Commanding I Brigade RFC1917 1918 Succeeded byCuthbert MacLeanTemporary appointment followed by Duncan Pitcher Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gordon Strachey Shephard amp oldid 1209237119, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
