Capt Fraser Morton Sheard (MC)

• Age: 23
• From: Great Crosby, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Tuesday 2nd April 1918
• Commemorated at: Premont Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: IV.B.38

Fraser Morton Sheard was born was born at 125 Canning Street, Liverpool on the 29th September 1894 and was baptised at St. Saviour's Church, Liverpool on the 10th March 1895. His father's occupation was noted as an accountant. He had two younger brothers Geoffrey Senior and Rowland Theodore. He was the eldest son of Theodore Senior Sheard and his wife Mabel (nee Pemberton) who were married at the same church in 1893. Fraser's father was a chartered accountant with business premises at 13 Harrington Street, Liverpool.

The 1901 Census showed the family living at 175 Moor Lane, Crosby. His father, Theodore S. is a 37 year old accountant born in Southport, whilst his mother is 31 years of age and was born in New Ferry, Cheshire. Fraser M. is 6 years old, Geoffrey S. is 5 and Rowland T. is 3. Also declared in the household is a 17 year old servant, Grace McCaig born in Scotland.      

The 1911 Census finds the family were living at 'Waverley', Moor Lane, Great Crosby. His father is a 47 year old chartered accountant, his mother is 41 years old. They have been married for 17 years and have had 3 children. Fraser Morton is 16 years old and a student, Geoffrey Senior is 15 and a student as is Roland Theodore aged 13. Also declared in the household is a servant, 29 year old Charlotte Swann who was born in Birkenhead.  

Fraser attended Merchant Taylors' school, Crosby from 1905 - 1912. He represented the school as part of the Cricket XI and the Rugby XV. He left school to work for a General Merchants Office, at Sandbach Tinne and Company, Liverpool. He spent over a year in their brnch in Montreal from August 1913 - November 1914 returning to Liverpool. 

He immediately volunteeered and first joined the ranks of the 18th, but after Officer Training was commissioned into the Battalion, in January 1915. In November 1915 he crossed to France with No.1 Company. He was a keen cricketer and fotballer and whilst in France he was chosen to play football for Britain in an international match in Paris.

Although he does not appear in the Battalion War Diary during 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross for services during the Somme Offensive,the award was gazetted in the Edinburgh Gazette of 01/01/1917;

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He took two platoons through very heavy machine gun fire to reinforce troops in a village. Finding the village had been taken by the enemy, he withdrew his party in one's and two's and got them back safely to our lines. His coolness and personal gallantry during an unexpected and trying phase of the operations, greatly encouraged his men and his organised withdrawal undoubtedly saved many lives"  

When reported in the London Gazette New Years Honours on 01st January 1917 he was described as:

Temp. 2nd Lt. (actg. Capt) Fraser Morton Sheard, Gen.List, attd. T.M.By
 
He was promoted on 01/07/1917 to Temporary Lieutenant with further promotion on 24/08/17 (Acting Captain) and 02/11/1917 (Temporary Captain). 

He was mortally wounded during the German Spring Offensive of March 1918. On 21st March the Battalion was near St Quentin when the enemy attack began and it was ordered forward to man the Battle Stations at Steen Wood. Captain Sheard was in Command of No.3 Company. By early afternoon the Germans had penetrated the Battle Zone near Roupy and the Battalion dug in to defend the wood. No.3 Company was on the left flank of this defensive line.

By the morning of 22nd March the situation had deteriorated and the Battalion was ordered forward to counter attack from a fortified position known as Stevens Redoubt. At about 10.30am, No.2 and No.3 Companies moved forward to the Redoubt, but found the situation there so serious, that they abandoned the idea of a counter attack and remained there helping the defence of the Garrison.

By late afternoon the situation had become critical and the Battalion was ordered to retreat to Ham. The flanks of the Garrison at Stevens Redoubt had given way by this time and the Commander there also decided to pull back. However, apparently not all the Garrison got away, and it would appear that No.3 Company must have been surrounded, as only about a dozen men succeeded in escaping from the Redoubt.

Captain Sheard was wounded at some stage during the course of the afternoon and captured by the Germans. He eventually died of his wounds as a prisoner of war, at the German Field Hospital at Bohain, on 02nd April 1918. He was aged twenty three.

He now rests at Premont British Cemetery IV.B.38., France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"UNTIL THE DAY BREAK AND SHADOWS FLEE AWAY".

Premont village was captured by the 30th American Division on the 8th October 1918. Premont British Cemetery was made and used by four Casualty Clearing Stations (the 20th, 50th, 55th and 61st), which came to Bohain in October 1918, and it was closed in the following December. Some years later 165 graves were added to it from the following sites:-

BOHAIN STATION MILITARY CEMETERY, which was on the West side of the cross-road immediately West of Bohain railway station. It was made by the German forces, but one plot of 47 graves was added by the 11th Essex and other British units in October 1918. It contained in all 806 German graves, 155 British, 14 Russian, 12 French, one Italian and one Romanian.

SEBONCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY, which contained the graves of six soldiers from the United Kingdom buried by German forces in January, March and April 1918.

Four from a site near Honnechy.

This cemetery contains the graves of 536 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War, eight of which are unidentified. There are also 36 German casualties buried here, two of which are unidentified.

The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

By the time the Cemetery Register was complied, his parents had moved to Thornwood, Epping, Essex.

Geoffrey Senior Sheard, the younger brother of Fraser also fell in the Great War. He died of wounds on 26th July 1917 whilst serving as Second Lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion Cheshire Regiment. He now rests at Duisans British Cemetery IV.N.2. where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"TO BE WITH CHRIST IS BETTER"

Another brother Roland served in Mesopotamia and survived the War.

Fraser is remembered on the following Memorials:

Crosby and Blundellsands  Civic Memorial

Sefton Civic Memorial

St Luke’s Church Crosby

Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby

Waterloo Rugby Football Club

St Helens’ Church, Sefton.

Fraser and Geoffrey are commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 40 

Probate of his estate was obtained at Liverpool on the 23rd December 1919 by his mother. His effects were valued at 368 9s 7d.

Grateful thanks are extended to Eileen Simpson for assistance with the biography and to Trevor Hildrey, Archivist at Merchant Taylors' for the photograph of Fraser from the school archives.

We currently have no further information on Fraser Morton Sheard, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.