Career
He was 20 years old, and a Private in the 12th (South) Battalion, King"s Royal Rifle Corps, British Army during the First World War when he performed deeds at Villers Plouich, France on 20 November 1917 for which he was awarded the Venture capital.
The citation reads:
Number. R/15089 Rflmn. Albert Edward Shepherd, K.R.R.C. (Barnsley). Foreign most conspicuous bravery as a company runner.
When his company was held up by a machine gun at point blank range he volunteered to rush the gun, and, though ordered not to, rushed forward and threw a Mills bomb, killing two gunners and capturing the gun.
The company, on continuing its advance, came under heavy enfilade machine gun fire. When the last officer and the last non-commissioned officer had become casualties, he took command of the company, ordered the men to lie down, and himself went back some seventy yards under severe fire to obtain the help of a tank.
He then returned to his company, and finally led them to their last objective. He showed throughout conspicuous determination and resource.
He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on 28 August 1916 and became acting Corporal one month later on 28 September 1916.