C102756 Corporal Frederick Richard Shepherd was born in Ottawa, Ontario, on 26 January 1924, the son of Corporal Wilfred Richard Shepherd (Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps) and Florence Mabel Volker.

He had two brothers (one also in the Canadian Army) and two sisters, Dorothy and June, and completed 2 1/2 years of high school. He was a member of the Church of England and enjoyed softball, hockey, singing and playing guitar.

Shepherd worked as a labourer for a livestock dealer in Erkin, Alberta, when he enlisted in Ottawa with the active service on 4 February 1943 and trained in Cornwall, Camp Borden and Debert, Nova Scotia.

On 29 March 1943, he was transferred to the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps at his request. On 1 June, he was appointed acting Lance Corporal, and on 14 November, he reverted to the rank of Private. He arrived in the United Kingdom on 12 April 1944 and was transferred to an infantry reinforcement unit, and three weeks later, was posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles.

Shepherd landed with D Company on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Five days later he was wounded and returned to England. After recovering, he returned to the QOR on 27 October, attached to the Headquarters of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division on 29 November, appointed Lance Corporal on 2 December, and appointed Acting Corporal on 28 February 1945.

Corporal Shepherd, aged 21, was killed in action in Holland on 17 April 1945. He is buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference XII. D. 13. His family had the following inscribed on his marker:

SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS