The following information and chronological table are a summary of the entries from the service record of 589 Driver Thomas James Shepherd who was WIA, DOW and was buried at sea. He is commemorated on a plaque at Lone Pine [pictured left] as a member of the Australian Field Artillery Battery

Both Thomas and his brother Amos Cooper Shepherd were drivers in elements of the 1st Division Artillery, and I have no idea why Thomas' rank was Driver (Dvr) while he was serving in a gun crew in the Gallipoli hills when he was wounded and Amos was a Gunner (Gnr) while he was serving on the beachhead Artillery Train.

Prepared for Paul Shepherd, grand-nephew of Thomas Shepherd by Clive Mitchell-Taylor - 19 June 2018.

There are some conflicts with the name. The National Archives properly stores his Service Record under the name Thomas James Shepherd. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records his name on the plaque at Lone Pine as Shepherd T, while the WW1 Embarkation Roll records him as James Shepherd, which is the name under which the Australian War Memorial also files his various records.

View Thomas Shepherd's Service Record, his entry on the Embarkation Roll,or his entry on the Roll of Honour . All three files are PDF. There is also a certificate at The AIF Project.

On the left is Panel 11 from the Lone Pine Memorial, in lieu of a photograph.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviations or acronyms which have a dotted underline can be expanded by moving the cursor over the term - e.g. WIA. The cursor will be replaced by ? and the expanded abbreviation will be displayed. This is gradually being incorporated into the site, replacing the the current expansion of abbreviations. There may be a discernable delay of about a second before the expansion is first provided.

There is also a separate list of abbreviations which is available through the menu at the top of this page or the hyperlink here.  Abbreviations are inconsistent, even within a single occurence where a term is abbreviated.

There are a number of sources for tracing abbreviations used in Australian and New Zealand service records. Those used when operating with the British or US forces can generally be found, especially in World War 1. Abbreviations used solely within Australia in WW2 are most difficult to trace, particularly when they are regional. Sometimes a 'best guess' is the only answer.

Duplicated Pages

Some of the service information may appear to be duplicated although individual occurrences are not in the same order and different abbreviations used. This occurs when the unit and Army records are amalgamated upon discharge or death in Service.

Service Numbers

Service numbers in WW1 were unique to the unit (e.g. Battalion) or Corps (e.g. Artillery). In WW2 Service Numbers were unique to the State in which they were allotted. For further information about identity numbers for Service personnel, see Regimental and Service Numbers

Dates of Occurrence and Reporting

The date of reporting an incident may be hours, days or months after the date on which incident actually occurred.

The original service record is amended only when the incident is reported which means that events are not necessarily recorded in in strict chronological sequence. This is the date shown on the left of the page of the original record, and also on the left in my transcription but readers should note that at times there may be no date of reporting at all, particularly when service personel are repatriated for discharge at the end of hostilities.

To assist the reader, when transcribing the military record I have done my best to record events in their chronological sequence. This is date is on the right of the page of the original record and also on the right in my transcription.

For clarity I have transcribed all dates into the format d MMM yyyy.

Memorial Plaques

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Enlistment Details

Service Number	589
Name	Thomas James Shepherd
Born at	Parish of Summer Corner, near Bathurst, County of New South Wales, Australia
Age	23 years and 0 months (as at 31 Aug 1914 - birth dates not actually recorded)
Trade or Calling	Labourer
Apprentice	12 months with Rivett of Kelso, blacksmith
British Subject	Natural born
Marital Status	Unmarried
Next of Kin	Father - Mr Thomas Shepherd, 224 Durham Street, Bathurst, NSW
Previous Military Service	No
Discharged with Ignominy	No
Attested at	Sydney, NSW
Date of Enlistment	31 August 1914
Height	5 foot 9-1/2 inches [176.5 cm]
Weight	9 stone 8 pounds [138 pounds or 61 Kg]
Chest	36 inches [91.5 cm]
Eyes	Brown
Hair	Red
Religious Denomination	Church of England
Units	1st Division Artillery, Ammunition Column & 2nd Field Artillery Battery

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Chronological Events

Rank	Description	Date	Remarks
Driver	Embarked from 2 MDon HMAT"ARGYLLSHIRE" (A8)	18 Oct 1914	See Abbreviations for further detail on Military Districts
Driver	Transferred from Ammunition Column to 2nd Field Artillery Battery, Egypt, as Driver	23 Feb 15
Driver	Landed with unit on Gallipoli peninsula	26 Apr 1915	Can be presumed to have landed on the Gallipoli peninsula with that unit on the 26th of April 1915. The 2nd Battery, less one section, was landed that night, but re-embarked, less one gun. The remaining guns were landed on the 26th.  Although there is no mention of the number of wounded in the 2nd Field Artillery Battery Commander's Diary, I suspect that Thomas was wounded on or about the 25th of May and died of wounds on the 7th of June.  This may go some way to explaining his brother Amos Cooper Shepherd's out of character behaviour which then followed.
Driver	WIA, GSW to abdomen.	Late June 1915	Exact date not known and unable to be identified from the unit Commander's Diary, but possibly the 25th of May, as some casualties were taken that day, but were not named.
Driver	Died of wounds aboard HS"SOUDAN".	7 Jun 1915
Driver	Buried at sea.	9 Jun 1915	Driver Thomas James Shepherd who died on Monday, June 7, 1915 is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial, Panel Number 11.
Driver	Report from OC Records Section, Alexandria that Driver T.J. Shepherd did not leave a will in his Paybook, Small Book or as a separate document.	27 Jun 1915
Driver	Statement of War Pension Claim advising that Mrs Jane Shepherd was granted 39 pounds per annum from 20 Jun 1915.	30 Sep 1915
Driver	Report from Staff Paymaster to Headquarters 2nd Military District enclosing the paybooks of members including Dvr T.J. Shepherd.	2 Dec 1915
Driver	Receipt for Effects of Deceased Officer or Other Ranks, Driver T.J. Shepherd, being a purse containing one coin. Signed by Australian Records Section, Mediteranian Expeditionary Force (MEF).	9 Dec 1915
Driver	Thos Cook & Son receipt for one package, being the personal effects of Dver TJ Shepherd signed by Mrs T Shepherd	22 Jan 1916
Driver	Inventory of Effects, being one brown paper parcel, for Gnr [sic] T.J. Shepherd. Annotated with the word "Photos."	4 Feb 1916
Driver	Thos Cook & Son receipt for one package, being the effects of Gnr T Shepherd [sic] signed by Mrs T Shepherd	19 Mar 1916
Driver	Letter from Officer in Charge, Base Records, to father, Thomas Shepherd, concerning the death of his son, Driver T.J. Shepherd, advising that he died of wounds received in action at Gallipoli, aboard HMTS "SOUDAN" on 7 June 1915	5 Apr 1916
Driver	Mrs T. Shepherd makes application to the Officer in Charge of Base Records, for the effects of her two sons.	10 Apr 1916	See subsequent responses.
Driver	Letter to Commandant, Australian Imperial Force Headquarters, Egypt, enclosing an extract of a letter from Mrs Shepherd concerning her sone kit and requesting that it be forwarded to Base Records for onforwarding.	18 Apr 1916
Driver	Letter to Mrs T Shepherd, concerning the personal effects of her sons. None were located for A.C. Shepherd and those of T.J, Shepherd have been despatched and will be forwarded when received. A copy of this letter letter is on AC Shepherd's file.	18 Apr 1916
Driver	Letter from AIFHeadquarters to Dept of Defence, Melbourne, concerning the personal effects of 3135 Gunner A.C. Shepherd and 589 Driver T.J. Shepherd, noting that parcels were despatched via "NESTOR" on 4 Feb 1916 and "DEMOSTHENES" on 18 Mar 1916.	14 Jul 1916
Driver	Advice to Mrs Jane Shepherd of 224 Durham Street, Bathurst, that the pension of 1 pound 10 shillings per fortnight in respect of her son, had been increased to 2 pounds per fortnight.	15 Mar 1917
Driver	Letter from Officer in Charge, Base Records, to Mrs J Shepherd, asking to confirm the status of her husband and asking for his name and address if still alive. [This for the purpose of issuing the medals, an arrangement previously agreed by husband and wife.]	7 Jul 1920	May not have been received, see next entry.

Rank	Description	Date	Remarks
Driver	Letter from Officer in Charge, Base Records, to Headquarters 2nd Military District, advising that a letter sent to Mrs J Shepherd of 22 Durham Street, Bathurst, New South Wales, requesting advice as whether the father of the late Driver T.J. Shepherd was still living, had not been answered. The writer requests the recipient to obtain the information in order that the war medals of the deceased may be issue.	8 Sep 1920
Driver	Report by Sgt MM Ryan, Provost Marshall's Office, that he has interviewed Mr Thomas Shepherd, father of the deceased soldier, who advised that his son was a single man, and he was desirous of obtaining the war medals and decorations awarded to his late son, and the King's War Certificate. He also interviewed Mrs Shepherd, who produced a statement of account of the late soldier, showing that she had received all monies due to him, including deferred pay, and advised him that she was satisfied that her husband is most entitled to receive the War Medals.	22 Oct 1920
Driver	Father, Thomas Shepherd makes claim for the medals of his son, 589 Driver T.J. Shepherd.	22 Oct 1920
Driver	Receipt for Memorial Scroll signed by father, Thomas Shepherd	24 Jun 1921
Driver	Receipt for Victory Medal signed by Jane Shepherd	28 Jun 1922
Driver	Letter from Mrs Jane Shepherd of Darling Street, Glebe, advising that she had signed the receipt for the Victory Medal in the absence of her husband, and asking for advice concerning the Memorial Plaque.	28 Jun 1922
Driver	Letter from Officer in Charge, Base Records, acknowledging application for Memorial Plaque in respect of the late 589 Driver T.J. Shepherd, stating that the plaque will be forwarded to her husband in due course.	30 Jun 1922
Driver	Receipt for Memorial Plaque signed by father, Thomas Shepherd	27 Jul 1922

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Medals and Dress Embellishments

1914-15 Star,British War Medal 1914-1920, and Victory Medal

One Wound Stripe for June 1915.

Entitled to wear ANZAC 'A'.

One Long Service Stripe and two Overseas Service Chevrons.

Use the hyperlinks or scroll down to see further information on the badges.

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Background - 1st Field Artillery Brigade

[Information from https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au]

UNIT COLOUR PATCH
1ST AUST FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE
1ST DIVISION ARTILLERY

ENTITLED TO WEAR ANZAC 'A'

The 1st Field Artillery Brigade formed in Australia prior to embarkation in late 1914 to support the newly raised 1st Division.

1st Field Artillery Brigade August 1914 - November 1918, comprising:

  ◊   1st Field Artillery Battery

  ◊   2nd Field Artillery Battery

  ◊   3rd Field Artillery Battery

   ◊   101st Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery

  ◊   1st Brigade Ammunition Column

It went on to serve in ANZAC: Defence of ANZAC, Egypt: Defence of Egypt, Western Front: Pozieres, Retreat to the Hindenburg Line, Bullecourt, Messines, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Passchendaele, Ancre, Villers Bretonneux, Hamel, Amiens, Albert, Hindenburg Line.

Napoleon Bonaparte famously described Artillery as "the God of War" because of the effect that its fire can bring to bear on the battlefield. In WW 1 on the Western Front, artillery dominated and defined the battlefield. In concert with the weather, it turned the terrain into the pulverised devastated quagmire that is so synonomous with that period and place.

Artillery inflicted the most casualties and battle space damage and instilled the most fear among opposing forces. Its effect was both physical and psychological, with the term 'shell shock' coming into general use early in the war. Artillery required a Herculean logistic effort to keep ammunition up to the guns from manufacture to the gun line. It was also a very dangerous occupation, attracting the attention of the enemy, the general result of which was 'counter battery fire' designed to neutralise and destroy gun positions and ammunition.

At the outbreak of the War, Australian Artillery was in short supply in both quantitative and qualitative terms. The standard 'fire unit' of artillery is a Battery comprising variously four to six guns described as light medium or heavy depending on the equipment, calibre and weight of shell.

The standard field gun was the British 18 pounder (so-called because of the weight of the high explosive shell). When the AIF embarked, its artillery was light-on indeed. As it turned out the scope to use it at Gallipoli was extremely constrained anyway so it mattered less than had the AIF gone straight to Europe, where artillery was the definitive feature of the battlefield.

At ANZAC, guns were deployed singly purely becasue of a lack of suitable fire positions. The 18 pounders were the first into action but later an improvised heavy Battery was formed with two 6 inch (150mm) howitzers and a 4.7 inch (120mm) Naval Quick Firing gun.

Artillery units had arguably the least intuitive structure and organisation of any of the major Corps in the AIF. This in part reflected changing priority and availability of equipment. As the war progressed, concentration to facilitate command and control at the highest level, became a defining characteristic of the structure of artillery units (generally and somewhat confusingly called Field Artillery Brigades, - rather than the contemporary term 'regiments' - which were aggregations of like Batteries).

Specialised sub units (Batteries equipped with specialised weapons like Siege Artillery, Heavy Howitzers and Medium and Heavy Mortars) were raised and allocated across the AIF generally at Division and Corps level. The allocation of their fire support.was similarly controlled.

The standard organisation of Field Artillery took on the form of the Field Artillery Brigade which were formed to support infantry divisions. In 1914 and 1915 the First and Second Division each had three brigades (initially corresponding to the Brigade numeric designation) equipped with 12 x 18 pounder field guns. On arrival in France, the artillery was reorganised with each field artillery brigade having 12 x 18 pounders and 4 x 4.5 inch howitzers. There was initially a lack of howitzers available to meet the establishment.

Each Brigade generally comprised three Batteries of four 18 Pounder Mk 1 or II guns. With a range of about 6,500 yards (almost 6km) they fired a range of ammunition natures including High Explosive fragmentation, Shrapnel, Smoke, Gas, Star (illumination) and Armour Piercing projectiles.

In March 1916 a fourth battery of four 18 pounder field guns was added. At the same time a Howitzer Brigade was raised for each division with 12 x 4.5 inch howitzers each.

In January 1917, batteries were increased in size to 6 guns each in order to economise on headquarters structures and the number of Field Artillery Brigades in each division was reduced to two.

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The ANZAC 'A'

The brass letter 'A' to represent service related to Gallipoli (ANZAC) was authorised to be worn 'over unit colour patches on both sleeves of the service dress jacket and greatcoat" by Military Order 354 of 18 Aug 17 and AIF Order 937 of 6 Nov 17, as amended in terms of qualification by Military Order 20 of 19 Jan 18 and by AIF Order 1084 of 25 Jan 18.

The size of the letter 'A', introduced as one inch in height (AIF Order 994 of 30 Nov 17), was reduced to three-quarters of an inch by AIF Order 1012 of 11 Dec 17. Provision for wearing the brass letter 'A' was also included in General Routine Order 0.815 of 17 Dec 43 and GRO 310 of 7 Dec 45.

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1914-15 Star

[Extract from Ribbons and Medals: Naval, Military, Air Force and Civil, Captain H. Taprell Dorling, DSO RN,
George Philip & Son, 33 Fleet Street, London EC4, 1940]

The decoration consists of a four-pointed star in bright bronze as shown, with the date 1914-15 on the central scroll. The reverse is plain, and is stamped with the name and unit of the recipient. The ribbon is red, white and blue, shaded and watered, worn with the red nearest the centre of the breast. It is atached to the medal through a ring.

It is similar in shape and description to the 1914 Star, to which few, if any, Australians were entitled. Those entitled were those who had already served with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) in the operations to capture German New Guinea in 1914.

The decoration, sanctioned in 1918, was issued "to all officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the British, Dominion, Colonial and Indian Forces, including civilian medical practitioners, nursing sisters, nurses and others eployed with military hospitals, who actually served on the establishment of a unit in a theatre of war as defined in Appendix 'A'. Individuals in possession of the 1914 Star will not be eligible for the award of this decoration."

Appendix 'A' included the Western, Eastern, Egyptian, African, Asiatic and Australasian Theatres of war, with commencement dates individual to countries and campaigns.

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British War Medal 1914-20

[Extract from Ribbons and Medals: Naval, Military, Air Force and Civil, Captain H. Taprell Dorling, DSO RN,
George Philip & Son, 33 Fleet Street, London EC4, 1940]

This medal was approved by King George V in 1919 to record the bringing of the war to a successful conclusion and the arduous services rendered by His Majesty's Forces.

The medal, which is supended from its ribbon by means of a straight clasp, without swivel, bears on the obverse the effigy of His Majesty - exactly similar to that on a half-crown - with the legend 'Georgivus V : Omn : Rex et Ind : Imp'.

The reverse bears a design which represents St George on horseback, trampling underfoot the eagle shield of the central powers and a skull and crossbones, the emblems of death. Overhead is the risen sun of victory. The male figure, rather than a symbolical female one, was chosen because man had borne the brunt of the fighting. The figure was mounted on horseback as symbolical of man's mind controlling force (represented by the horse) of far greater strength than his own. The design is thus also symbolical of the mechanical and scientific appliances which helped so largely to win the war.

The ribbon has a orange watered centre with stripes of white and black at each side and with borders of royal blue. It is stated that the colours have no particular signification.

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Victory Medal

[Extract from Ribbons and Medals: Naval, Military, Air Force and Civil, Captain H. Taprell Dorling, DSO RN,
George Philip & Son, 33 Fleet Street, London EC4, 1940]

This medal, of bronze, bears on the obverse a winged figure of Victory, full length in the middle of the medal and full face; the borders and the backgound plain, without either incription or date. On the reverse is an inscription. "The Great War for Civilization." and either the names of the different Allied and Associated Powers, or their coats of arms.

The rim is plain, and the medal hangs from a ring. The ribbon is red in the centre, with green and violet on either side shaded to form the colours of two rainbows.

It has also been approved that any officer or man who has been "mentioned in despatches" shall wear a small bronze oak leaf on the ribbon of this medal. Only one oak leaf is so worn, no matter how many "mentions" the wearer may have received.

The medal is designed to obviate the exchange of Allied Commemorative war medals, and is issued only to those who actually served on the establishment of a unit or ship in a theatre of war. [This is an important distinction, as those Australians who served only in Australia, or only in Australia and England, were not entitled to the award.]

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The Rising Sun Badge

This version of the Rising Sun Badge was worn by soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Australian Imperial Forces, and the badge has become an integral part of the Digger tradition.

Worn on the the upturned brim of the slouch hat, it is readily identified with the spirit of ANZAC.

There are a number of versions of the genesis of the badge, the most widely accepted being that it derived from a Trophy of Arms - various swords and bayonets mounted on  a semi-circular display in Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.

The original version worn in South Africa was modified in 1904 and worn by Australian soldiers through two World Wars.

Later changes were made to the style of the crown and the wording on the scroll. The "King's Crown" is the one shown to the left, while arches of the "Queen's Crown" rise at the same angle as the base of the crown, curve at their highest point to a level mid-way on the orb below the cross and then down to below the orb.

In 1949 the scroll was changed to read "Australian Military Forces".

In 1969 the badge was modified to incorporate the 7-pointed Federation Star with a central Queen's crown over the Torse Wreath (a twisted roll of fabric) from the original 1902 version, and the scroll wording changed to "Australia".

In the 75th anniversary year of the the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli, there was a drive to return to traditional accoutrements worn by Australian soldiers during the World Wars, which clearly identify the Australian Army. The Queen's crown returned to its central position and the scroll now reads "The Australian Army'.

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The ANZAC 'A'

The brass letter 'A' to represent service related to Gallipoli (ANZAC) was authorised to be worn 'over unit colour patches on both sleeves of the service dress jacket and greatcoat" by Military Order 354 of 18 Aug 17 and AIF Order 937 of 6 Nov 17, as amended in terms of qualification by Military Order 20 of 19 Jan 18 and by AIF Order 1084 of 25 Jan 18.

The size of the letter 'A', introduced as one inch in height (AIF Order 994 of 30 Nov 17), was reduced to three-quarters of an inch by AIF Order 1012 of 11 Dec 17. Provision for wearing the brass letter 'A' was also included in General Routine Order 0.815 of 17 Dec 43 and GRO 310 of 7 Dec 45.

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Wound Stripe

Army Order No.204 Headquarters, 1st A.N.Z.A.C., 9th August, 1916. (slightly amended for layout)
DISTINCTIONS FOR OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS WHO HAVE BEEN WOUNDED

The following distinction in dress will be worn on the service dress jacket by all officers and soldiers who have been wounded in any of the campaigns since 4th August 1914 :

Stripes of gold Russia braid No.1, two inches [2.5cm] in length sewn perpendicularly on the left forearm sleeve of the jacket to mark each occasion on which wounded.

In the case of officers, the lower end of the first strip of gold braid will be immediately above the upper point of the flap on the cuff.

Warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men will wear the gold braid on the left forearm sleeve, the lower edge of the braid to be three inches from the bottom of the sleeve.

Subsequent occasions on which wounded, will be placed on either side of the original one at half inch interval.

Gold braid and sews will be obtained free on indent from the Army Ordnance Department; the sewing on will be carried out regimentally without expense to the public.

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Long Service Badges

[Image from http://www.diggerhistory.info]

A.I.F. ORDER No.470, 24 January 1917 (slightly amended for layout)

The question of the issue of a badge to members of the AIF who have completed a certain period of service has received consideration, and approval has been given for the issue of a badge for long service combined with good conduct, subject to the following conditions.

The badge will consist of an inverted single chevron of service braid to be worn on the left forearm - the point of the chevron to be 3 inches [7.6cm] above the edge of the cuff.

Warrant and non-commissioned officers and men, will be eligible for the badge, which will not carry an increased pay or allowance.

One chevron will be worn for each complete year's service in the Australian Imperial Force from the date of embarkation in Australia.

No badge will be issued to any man who, during the 12 months, has incurred a regimental entry (i.e. an entry involving forfeiture of pay) in his sheet.

Time absent from the unit in hospital or elsewhere on account of wounds or sickness, not the result of misconduct, will count as service towards earning the badge.

A man in possession of a badge will forfeit same on being convicted of any offence involving a forfeiture of pay , but will be eligible to regain the badge after 6 months good conduct, from the date of forfeiture.

The illegal wearing of this badge will be a crime under A.A. Section 40.

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Overseas Service Chevrons

[http://au.geocities.com/fortysecondbattalion/level2/reference/01nos-standards.htm]
[Image from http://www.diggerhistory.info]

Australian Imperial Force Order No.1053, January 1918 (Slightly amended for layout)

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of chevrons to denote service overseas since the 4th August 1914.

Chevrons of two colours have been approved.

The first chevron if earned on or before 31st December 1914, will be red.

If earned on or after 1st January 1915, it will be blue.

All additional chevrons after the first will be blue.

The chevrons will be worsted embroidery, 1/4 inch [0.63cm] in width, the arms 4 inches [10.2cm] long. They will be worn inverted on the right forearm:

In the case of officers, the apex of the lowest chevron will be 1 inch [2.5cm] above the upper point of the flap on the cuff.

In the case of warrant-officers, non-commissioned officers and men, the apex of the lowest chevron will be midway between the seams and four inches [10.2cm] above the bottom edge of the sleeve.

The red chevron will be worn below the blue one. They will not be worn on greatcoats.

In the case of Australians, the first chevron was earned the date the individual left Australia. Additional chevrons were awarded for each successive aggregate period of 12 months service outside Australia.

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Some Government Issued Badges

Nearest Female Relative Badge	War Widows Guild Brooch	Silver War Badge	Discharged Returned Soldier Badge
Government issued badge in enamel and sterling silver issued to the wife, mother or nearest female relative of a serving soldier. Additional bars were suspended below for further individuals.	Membership badge of a Kookaburra in sterling silver, issued by the Government to the widows of men who lost their lives due to their service. Numbered on the reverse.	Awarded to service personnel who sustained a wound, or contracted sickness of disability in the course of the war as a result of which they were invalided out, or to soldiers who had retired during the course of the war.	First issued in 1916. Slight variations are indicative of a number of makers. 267,300 were issued. Numbered on the reverse but the numbers have no link withlength of service or Service Number.

[Badge information collated from Australian War Memorial, "Australians Awarded" by Clive Johnson and en.wikipedia.com]

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[Except as otherwise noted]