Service Record: John Thomas Shephard 231905

[Michelle]

Hi,

My ancestor John Thomas Shephard joined the Navy as a boy cadet, he did his training from 29.9.1904 on training ships named Caledonia and Ganges. He then went on to serve on the following ships..

HMS Hogue..16.2.1906-9.9.06
HMS Vivid..10.9.06-24.11.06
HMS High Flyer..25.11.06-
HMS High Flyer.. 7.7.07-18.9.08
HMS Vivid..19.9.08-24.9.08
HMS Leviathan..25.11.08-22.1.09
HMS Fantome..23.1.09-3.5.11
HMS Edgar..4.5.11-22.07.11
HMS Vivid..23.7.11-21.10.11
HMS Defiance..22.10.11-30.1.12
HMS Blake..31.1.12-30.4.12
HMS Hecla..1.5.12-2.2.14
HMS Vivid..3.2.14-24.2.14

Here his service ends as he died on 24.2.14 age just 26.

I'm probably asking too much but can anyone tell me what kind of ships these were and there whereabouts on the dates I have listed..any information would be very much apprediated...:)

thankyou... Michelle

[romft1945]

This will start you off then happy hunting
1 HMS Houge Cruiser sunk 1914
2 HMS Vivid Plymouth naval Base
3 HMS High Flyer wireless stations 10 all over the world
4 HMS Levithan cruiser
5 HMS Fantome Cadmus class screw sloop
6 HMS Edgar cruiser
7 HMS Defiance Torpedo school Plymouth
8 HMS Blake 2 funneled Cruiser
9 HMS Helca not sure on the dates you gave,
Happy Hunting ROM:)

[romft1945]

On the dates you gave HMS Hecla was a Depot ship,
ROM:)

P.S.Have you got a photo of Mr J Shepard and a bit more info on what he was etc etc.

[Michelle]

Thanks you guys..that info will keep me busy for a while. lol

All the information I have is his service record which I downloaded from the National Archives...It has Devonport written at the top..John Thomas Shephard was born on 16 Feb 1888 in Sunderland, Durham. At 16 he was 5'2 and 1/8". I like the way they included the 1/8.lol At 18 he had grew to 5'4". Ha! He had brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion...All very nice to know but I'd rather find a photo. lol he was a Coupler with the North East Railway before he joined up.

The information I gave above is from the ships served in column of the reocrd..the next column gives the list & No. Any idea what the numbers there mean?

Next column is Rating... Whilst on the training ships the rating is 'Bid'. Then after he begins his continuous service it changes to 'Ord' which I take as meaning that he is an Ordinary Seaman. Then after a year or so it changes to A.B..would that be Able Bodied Seaman?

Then it has sub-ratings with a few entries therein. Then a Badges column that has 5 entries begining in 1909 and ending in 1913.

Next comes the period of service colums the information of which I entered above. Then a Character colum that has dates along with G. VG and Mod beside the dates, any ideas what these letters mean?

Lastly is the discharge column which of course gives the deatails of his untimely death. Cause of death was Acute Diabetes, Coma and Heart failure..all of which are preventable today but unfortunately for him not in 1914..

At the bottom of the service card there is a clothing and gratuities column which has a few entries then a Remarks column.

In the Remarks column is written 'Grat for rais*g V.13 Satellite Oct 04...' Any ideas??also written is 'Over 6 years 1.12.12 which speaks for itself. lol

Off now to find out what a 'Cruiser' is lol as he seemed to have spent most of his short career onthem....

Thanks again for the info already given, like I said it will keep me out of bother for a while.

Michelle

[romft1945]

Quick answer as I have to go but the G Good VG very good etc will do some work as I have a 1909 service record in front of me,
Cheers Rom:)

[Michelle]

thanks Rom. Been doing a little research meself. lol found a few photos of various ships he served on. Found this on the 'High Flyer'

The fourth “HIGHFLYER” is an 8-gun twin-screw cruiser, launched at Govan in 1898. She is of 5600 tons, 10,000 horse-power, and 20 knots speed. Her length, beam, and draught were 350ft., 54ft., and 20ft. From November 1902 to March 1903 the “Highflyer,” commanded by Captain Arthur H. Christian flying the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Drury, was at the head of the squadron of six ships which took part in the Somaliland campaign in various coastal capacities. The ships assisted in landing troops and stores, in transport work, and in the prevention of delivery of munitions of war to the enemy. Three officers attached to the “Highflyer” were landed, and assisted the progress of the campaign with a wireless telegraphy apparatus. In August 1914 the “Highflyer,” commanded by Captain Henry T. Buller, was employed on the north -west African coast protecting British trade. On August 27 she met the German armed ship “Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse” off the Oro River, and after a short engagement in which the “Highflyer” lost one man killed and about six wounded, the German ship was sunk.

I've never used the internet much but am quickly learing that google always comes up trumps. lol

Michelle

[astraltrader]

Hi Michelle - Welcome to the forum. To get you started here are a few photographs you might find of interest. The first is the cruiser Leviathan, then the Cruiser Edgar. Third is the Cruiser Blake. Fourth is the old depot ship HMS Hecla. Lastly is the Hogue.

[astraltrader]

Sorry Michelle - I just realised that I missed out HMS Fantome. Here is a picture of the old sloop in dry-dock...

[cissystar650]

Hi Michelle

I couldn't provide any more info for you than has already been given here with regard the the Ships he was on.... but if you need searches done of the census' for your relatives, let me know.

Cissy

[astraltrader]

Hi Michelle - The best I have of the cruiser HMS Highflyer

[Michelle]

Wow! these are great... Thanks ladies and gents..do these photos have a copyright! I wouldn't mind adding them to Johns page on my family tree file..

Cissy, I have all the census info thanks...

John Shephards father Thomas did a spell with the Merchant Navy back in the 1880's, as I understand it the Merchant Navy was made up of volunteers, is that right? I think maybe his stories of the sea rubbed off on John as he was the only family member ever to join the Navy..I'm a complete novice when it comes to our Armed Forces on the sea. My father was an Army Sergeant. lol

Regards Michelle

[astraltrader]

Michelle - All the images I posted here are from my own personal collection of postcards. I am happy for you to use them on your site - it would be nice if you credited them to me [astraltrader or Terry Dickens will do].
With regard to copyright there is no problem at all as they are all over 75 years old and therefore would be regarded as being in the public domain...

[Michelle]

Thankyou so much Terry...I will add them to Ordinary seaman John Shephard and credit them to you.

Once again,,, Thankyou... Michelle

[astraltrader]

A pleasure to help Michelle. If you need any other ships to complete your Grandfathers career - let me know and I will try and help.