Recipient of George Medal (posthumous)

Captain
British Army
11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment
The Royal Logistic Corps serving with
Joint Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group.

He deployed in April 2009 with the UK contingent of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Capt Shepherd was killed trying to defuse a roadside improvised explosive device in Nad-e-Ali district, Helmand province. Another soldier suffered minor injuries. Their team had been tasked with clearing a route for a re-supply convoy.

Aged 28, he was from Lincoln. After army cadets, he enlisted in the Army in 1998 and completed an Electrical Engineering Degree at Shrivenham. Commissioned from Sandhurst in 2003, he served an operational tour in Iraq in 2004. He was described as a consummate perfectionist and the ultimate professional soldier. Active and fit, he excelled at skiing and climbing.

Capt Shepherd is survived by his wife Kerry, parents David and Judith, his older brother Paul, sister-in-law Amy, two nephews and other relatives.

Military Funeral took place at Lincoln Cathedral on Monday, August 10, 2009. Around 900 friends, relatives, fellow soldiers and veterans attended the service to pay their respects.

In March 2010, Capt Shepherd was posthumously awarded the George Medal, a gallantry award for military gallant conduct not in the presence of the enemy.

From the citation:
"In June 2009 Captain Shepherd and his team were deployed to provide close support to the Regional Battle Group (South) in Helmand. Following an aviation assault with A Company his Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD) Team were tasked to conduct an Improvised Explosive Device (lED) clearance of a known drugs bazaar and insurgent high threat area. Captain Shepherd led his team through a continuous explosive ordnance disposal operation in which he personally, and at huge self-risk, rendered safe, exploited and disposed of 13 separate lEDs. Operating without the benefit of a remote controlled vehicle, a protective EOD suit or specialist Electronic Counter Measure equipment, Captain Shepherd relied on his technical expertise and completed over 20 manual approaches and countless fingertip searches to deal with 13 victim operated devices in 36 hours of unbroken activity. During this time he was under sporadic enemy fire and used only manual clearance means. He was an inspiration to his team; his personal actions directly and demonstrably saved the lives of innumerable Afghans, Coalition and British forces before he made the ultimate sacrifice. For his actions that day, Captain Shepherd is posthumously awarded the George Medal."

*Sincere thanks to Daff for the grave photo