Born in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. He was one of five children born to 273 William Sheppard of the 8th Hussars and his wife Elizabeth: Mary A., born at Hounslow in 1835; William, born Newbridge in 1837; John, born Leeds 1839; Ann, born Hounslow in 1842, and Ellenor, born Leeds in 1843.
His father was born at Marlow, Buckinghamshire. A Labourer by trade, he had enlisted on the 8th of May 1826, and died at Athlone, Ireland, "at 2 a.m. on the 16th of February 1846". He left no will, his credits of £13/5/9 being paid over to his widow, Elizabeth. At the time of his death, there were four children in the family, all "under age".
Enlisted at Dublin on the 23rd of December 1853 by Trumpet-Major Smith, "By Special Enlistment for a period of 15 years, and to go to the Band."
Age: 15.
Height: 5' 4".
Trade: None.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Dk. brown hair.
Wounded in action at Balaclava and taken prisoner-of-war.
Horse Guards,
30th of June 1855.
Sir, — I am directed by the General Commanding-in-Chief to acquaint you with reference to a communication from the Military Secretary dated the 16th inst. that two cavalry soldiers herein referred to as prisoners released by the Russians in consequence of being disabled by wounds from further service have stated that Private William Sheppard of the Corps under your command travelled with them to Odessa after leaving Simpheropol but was left at Odessa on account of his bad leg "breaking out afresh".
I am, etc. etc.,
J.E. Addison, AAG.
Officer Commanding 11th Hussars, Crimea.
(See the records of 1550 John Boxall, 4th Light Dragoons, and 1061 Matthew Keating, 11th Hussars.)
The muster rolls of the Cavalry Depot at Scutari show him as being there from the 11th of June 1855 as a "Prisoner-of-War from Odessa", and being sent to England on the 12th of July.
Returned to Chatham Invalid Depot aboard the "Hansa", being on the voyage from the 12-28 of July 1855. He may have been exchanged through being so young. His documents state specifically that he was a prisoner of war in Russian hands for only six months.
A report in the United Services Gazette and dated the 7th of July 1855, states:
"Under a flag of truce 180 sick and wounded Russian prisoners of war were recently taken to Odessa but we received in return only a soldier of the 11th Cavalry regiment who speaks most vehemently against the treatment he received and strongly expostulated against the civility the Officers were showing to the Russians."
From the date shown this was most certainly William Sheppard.
Discharged from Chatham on the 4th of December 1855:
"Rendered unfit for service from grape-shot wounds of outer and lower part of the left leg, followed by exfolitation of a portion of the Fibula, resulting in weakness of the limb and union of the soft parts of the bone."
Served in Turkey and the Crimea, 1 year. In the hands of the Russians as a prisoner-of-war for six months.
Aged 17 years 1 month on discharge. "Under age" during the whole of his service.
Conduct: "Irregular." Was awarded a pension of 8d. per day.
Recommended a "Special pension" of 12d. per day, and granted a "Campaign pension" increase from the 17th of October 1899. Pension details to the 31st of January 1900.
To live in Newbury, near Mallow, Co. Cork, after discharge.
Lived in the Tralee Pension District in 1859, Cork in 1860, and was back in Tralee in 1861.
Next of kin: Mother, Ellen Sheppard, living in Dublin.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Extracts from articles which appeared in the "Leeds Mercury" in July and August 1891. (There are copies in the 13th Hussar file and the record of John Wishart of the 13th Light Dragoons.)
The account had no indication of the name of the veteran concerned, but from other known details was almost certainly William Sheppard:
"I myself had three horses shot under me. I received several lance wounds, three sword cuts and also a grape-shot wound which carried away almost the whole of my left leg and killing my horse at the same moment as my leg was shattered to pieces, I was taken prisoner, and after lying two days in a cow-shed without any medical aid or any one to attend me was taken to Sebastopol with several of my wounded comrades, in a bullock-cart. My uniform had to be cut off with a knife, and I was kept there a prisoner for nearly six months, and during that time had eleven pieces of bone taken from my leg. Was over four months in bed with my wound.
As soon as I was able to be removed I was taken to Odessa and exchanged at the end of June 1855. I was then sent to Scutari Hospital and as nothing more could be done for me, I was sent home in August, arriving at Portsmouth, and from thence proceeded to Chatham from which place I was discharged in December of the same year with a pension of 8d. per day for life. I have been struggling on through life ever since.
My wounds, for which I fought and bled in the interests of my country, are continually breaking out and running and my life for the past thirty years has been a misery to me. I shall never forget that memorable day, when I, with my comrades, did as we were ordered. "Charge" was the word said, "And we did it." I am getting old and as far as I can see there is nothing left for me but to end my days in the workhouse."
He wrote from the Royal Military College at Sandhurst accepting the invitation from Mr. T.H. Roberts when the latter arranged the Jubilee celebrations for the veterans at his Fleet Street offices.
Copy of a letter which he wrote to Mr. T.H. Roberts in May 1897:
R.M. College, Sandhurst.
My dear Sir,
My comrade, David Grantham, (who served in the same regiment as myself) has shown me the kind invitation which you have extended to all the survivors of the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava. I shall be only too pleased to attend, being one of them. My record is that I received several different wounds — nine lance wounds — three sword-cuts — grape-shot through the left leg — bullet wound in the right leg, and had three horses killed under me. Was taken prisoner and remained as such until sufficiently recovered to be exchanged: was discharged to pension in December of 1856.
Yours faithfully,
(Signed) W. Sheppard.
Late 11th P.A.O. Hussars and one of the "600."
He was present at the Jubilee celebrations held by Mr. T.H. Roberts in his Fleet Street offices in June of 1897 and signed the testimonial given to Mr. Roberts on that occasion. (There is a copy in the "Memoirs" file.) Here he met again 934 Robert Moneypenny of the 8th Hussars who had nursed him as a child, he (Sheppard) having been born into the 8th Hussars.
In an interview given at the time, Sheppard said that he had received 14 wounds and had three horses shot under him. After leaving the service he spent six years in crutches, and was later employed in the stables of titled people in Ireland. For forty-one years (1897) he had drawn a pension of 8d. per day. He had married twice, and had sixteen children. He also claimed to be the youngest survivor of the Charge.
[EJB: It has not been possible to confidently locate him in the 1871 or 1881 Censuses. If he was living in Ireland, Census data for these years was destroyed by fire in 1922. He could have been the Sheppard living in Dale Street, Toxteth, Liverpool in 1871, married to Anne born Ireland, with one son, William, aged 6 months. And the "Shephard" living at nearby 11 Ford Street Court 1 in 1881. But this is speculation. We can only hope that one day a relative will step forward and supply further information.]
[PB: He attended the funeral of 902 James Webster, 17th Lancers in Camberley in April 1891.] Roundabouts, Sandhurst. He is shown in the 1891 Census as "Shepherd", aged 53, a boarder, "Beerman at R.M. College", born in Ireland about 1841. He is described as married, but no wife is shown. [PB: She is named as "M. Sheppard" on his death certificate.] In 1898 he had carried the medals of 1486 David Grantham, 11th Hussars, at the latter's funeral in Crowthorne (where Sheppard himself was to be buried two years later).
1891 Census
Death registered
William Sheppard, aged 63, September Quarter 1900, Easthampstead.
His death certificate shows that he died at Owlsmoor, Crowthorne, on the 15th of July 1900, aged 63 years, an Army Pensioner, from "Heart Disease, 2 years. Dropsy, 6 months." An M. Sheppard, widow of the deceased, of the same address, was present at his death.
(There is a copy of the death certificate in the 11th Hussars "Certificates" file, and a picture of him in civilian clothes and wearing his medals in the 11th Hussar file)
He was buried in Crowthorne churchyard, Berkshire, on the 20th of July. No memorial stone was erected over his grave. He was at that time a pensioner of the Roberts Fund, which also paid for his funeral.
Extract from the Reading Mercury, 21st of July 1900:
"On Wednesday last were laid to rest in Crowthorne churchyard the remains of another of the brave men who took part in the memorable charge at Balaclava — Trumpeter William Sheppard of the 11th Hussars.
The deceased was 63 years of age at the time of his death, so that he was only a boy when out in the Crimea. He was wounded in fourteen places, was a prisoner of war for nine months in the hands of the Russians, and after an exchange of prisoners was invalided from the service with a pension.
For many years he had been a servant at the Royal Military College and was carried to his grave by his old friends. Many from the College attended."
[CP: His death is recorded in the TH Roberts Fund Statement as having occurred in July 1900, when £48-5s-6d was provided to bury him. Curiously, Sheppard's name appears on the Roberts list under the 8th not the 11th Hussars.]