Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

STROUD AND DISTRICT
FLYING FATALITY
LIEUTENANT O.D. SHEPHERD KILLED.
"A shocking fatality occurred at Gloucestershire aerodrome on Sunday morning Lieut. Oscar Dudley Shepherd of the Australian Flying Corps was flying when his machine collapsed in the air and he met his death instantaneously. The gallant officer who was only 26 years of age left the hangars in a single seater machine at 10.20 a.m. having previously received instructions as to the manoeuvres he was required to execute and he was making a dive earthwards at a rate of 200 miles an hour when one of the plane's wings was seen to break at the root causing the other wing to collapse and he crashed to the ground. The machine was absolutely wrecked and Lieut. Shepherd's injuries were of a most shocking description.
Lieut Shepherd, a well set up officer, had been stationed at the aerodrome for some considerable time. He enjoyed the respect and esteem of many friends in the neighbourhood among whom he soon became hail fellow well met and he was very popular with his brother officers and the men in his squadron. In addition to his skill and daring as an aeronaut, Lieut. Shepherd was an all-round sportsman, one of the finest type. He was never happier than when on the football or cricket field and as a matter of fact he was captain of the squadron team and played with the eleven at Cheltenham on Saturday. He was a remarkably fine batsman and had an enviable average. At lawn tennis too, he was an expert and a pretty good player and had identified himself with the Stratford Lawn Tennis Club. The news of his terrible end came as a great shock to his innumerable friends in the district and among those by whom he was best known the loss of a friend as true as steel is deeply and sincerely mourned and much sympathy is felt for the bereaved parents who are settled in Australia." Son of Frederic and Anna Louisa Gibbon Shepherd of Teneriffe, Goulburn, New South Wales. He died when his plane crashed whilst carrying out aerial flying practice at Minchinhampton, England, aged 31 years.

Oscar Dudley SHEPHERD was born in Goulburn, New South Wales in 1887'

His parents were FredericK SHEPHERD & Anna Louisa WILSON