27815, Lance Corporal, 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.
Missing In Action on the 27th September 1916 aged 27.
Thiepval Memorial, Somme.
Fred was the son of Joseph & Mary Shelford of 35 Albert Street, Stevenage.
He was killed during the assault on Thiepval village on the 27th September 1916. It was a very dark morning and the two Companies, “C” & “D”, who were detailed to make the assault set off at 5.30am to attack the German positions. They were subjected to extremely heavy rifle and machine gun fire from the defenders of one the strongest positions in this sector of the Western Front. The Battalion suffered some 112 casualties during the attack including Fred Shelford.
He has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. (Pier/Face 2C.)
Medal Entitlement: British War Medal & Victory Medal.