An exceptional post-war M.B.E., Great War M.M. group of eleven awarded to Hon. Major E. S. Shephard, Combined Cadet Force and Territorial Army, late Royal Fusiliers and Royal Tank Corps

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge; Military Medal, G.V.R. (78206 Cpl. E. S. Shepherd, 9/R. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (GS-78206 E. S. Shepherd, R. Fus.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (78206 A. Sjt. E. S. Shephers, R. Fus.); India General Service 1908-35, North West Frontier 1930-31 (6448807 Sjt. E. S. Shepherd, M.M., R. Tank C.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Coronation 1937; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., Regular Army (6448807 C. Sjt. E. S. Shepherd, M.M., R. Tank C.); Efficiency Decoration, E.II.R., Territorial, the reverse officially dated ‘1958’, note surname spelling, the Great War period awards with light contact marks and somewhat polished, nearly very fine, the remainder very fine and better (11) £1200-1500

M.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1959. The original recommendation states:

‘Major Shephard was first commissioned in the C.C.F. in 1946 and has served continuously in it ever since.

For the last 12 years he has commanded the School Contingent. This involved him in many hours of detailed work in addition to his various duties as Bursar of the school. He has willingly given up his holidays and spare time in the interests of the Cadet Force and nothing has been too much trouble for him to undertake on its behalf. He sets a fine example of voluntary service and instils these principles into his subordinates. The present high standard of the contingent is a tribute to his detailed work and his inspiring leadership over this period.

I feel that his service in the Forces since his boyhood years should be borne in mind.

At 18 years of age he had seen service with the B.E.F. in France, where he was awarded the Military Medal and was promoted to Sergeant before his 19th birthday.

Between the Wars, he served with the Royal Tank Regiment in many capacities. He obtained his Special Certificate of Education, was a distinguished instructor in subjects peculiar to the Tank Corps, and was employed with the Indian Army on experimental work with tanks.

Having reached Warrant Officer rank with little else to gain, he decided to leave the Regular Army but remain on the Reserve.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was recalled and was again employed as an instructor, being given a direct commission. Throughout the War he served in the capacity of Assistant and then Chief Instructor to the R.A.C. Training Regiment. He left the R.A.C. in 1946 to join the staff of this school but remained on the Supplementary Reserve.

In addition, this officer has been the Durham County Representative on the Council of the C.C.F. Association for five years and the C.C.F. Member of the Pre-Service Committee of the T.A. Association for five years. Now that he is relinquishing his commission after 40 years of service, I feel that his devoted service well merits recognition.’

M.M. London Gazette 23 July 1919.

Ernest Symonds Shephard, who was born in Nottingham in late 1899, was awarded his M.M. in respect of gallantry in France as a Corporal in the 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Having then witnessed further active service in the Iraq operations as a Sergeant (Medal 7 clasp), he transferred to the Tank Corps and was present in operations on the North-West Frontier as a member of the 6th Armoured Car Company, R.T.R. in 1930-31 (Medal & clasp). Attached to the Indian Army Service Corps (Motor Transport) in late 1933, he was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in AO 81 of April 1936 and, having attained Warrant Officer status, was placed on the Reserve.

Following the renewal of hostilities he was recalled and granted an Emergency Commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Tank Regiment (R.A.C.) in December 1940, in which capacity he served as a senior instructor in the U.K. and attained the war substantive rank of Captain. At the end of the War he joined the staff of Barnard Castle School in Co. Durham as bursar, but having been appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Junior Training Corps, afterwards Combined Cadet Corps, in October 1946, also served in the school corps. Awarded the Efficiency Decoration (London Gazette 30 December 1958), he added the M.B.E. to his accolades in the following year, and finally resigned his commission in October 1963, lately having been advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel; sold with copied research.