Maj CH Shepherd-Cross DSO
Major Cecil Herbert Shepherd-Cross DSO was born in Bolton in 1878. The son of Herbert Shepherd-Cross, the MP for Bolton who himself had been an officer in the DLOY.
The 1911 census shows his occupation as cotton manufacturer and living in Long Preston in Cheshire along with his wife Meta, three children and nine servants.
At the start of WW1 he was OC 'D' Sqn, his medal roll index card shows he entered the theatre of war in France in April 1915. His Sqn later disembarked at Le Havre, France on 23 May 1915, their role being Divisional cavalry for 14 Div. As cavalry were of no use in trench warfare the DLOY was eventually broken up in 1917 and after infantry training they formed the 12th (DLOY) Bn Manchester Regt. Some of the Officers were posted to other units and even to the Royal Flying Corps doing recce, artillery spotting and Int work.
Major Shepherd-Cross was attached to the Westmoreland and Cumberland Yeomanry then 197 Coy, Machine Gun Corps, 9 Inf Div. On 15 Oct 1917 he died of wounds sustained during the first battle of Passchendale, his Company giving flank protection for the attack, he was aged 39 years.
He is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Westvleteren, Belgium, grave No. X.I.16.
As well as the DSO he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
