Pte Frederick George Sheppard, 31533, 55th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), was killed in action in France on March 18th, 1918. He was aged 23 and single.

In a letter to parents John and Annie Sophia Sheppard at 287 High Town Road, Luton, a lieutenant wrote: "It is with the deepest regret that I have to send you the sad news of your son's death this morning at 10 o'clock. He was walking along a communication trench with the rest of his gun team on the way to a new position.

"Movement was evidently observed from one of the enemy balloons, and the trench was heavily shelled. It was impossible to get efficient cover from the bursting shells, and your son was killed instantly by a piece of shell passing through his brain.

"His body will be buried in the British cemetery near our company headquarters. It is a great blow to me and to the whole section to lose such a cheerful and good-hearted comrade."

Pte Sheppard, born in Hitchin, was an old Surrey Street School boy. He worked as a straw hat blocker for Messrs A. & F. Higgins for some years, and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment (23497) two and a half years before his death.

He was transferred to a machine gun corps and went to France in June 1916. He was slightly wounded and gassed in July 1917, but remained in France until given leave in November. He then returned to the Front.