THE EXECUTION OF OLD PAUL - BAKEWELL DERBTSHIRE
The following newspaper cutting is from the Derbyshire Times dated Saturday 13th October 1928 and is an obituary for ex-regimental Sergt-Major John Shepherd, formerly of the Chesterfield Battalion the 2nd V,B, Notts and Derby Regt Regt, now the 6th Sherwood Foresters. John was buried on Thursday 11th October 1928 at Sheffield's Burngreave Cemetery
This is his burial record
MARLOW, Samuel (Brass Turner, age 67). Died at 18 May Road; Buried on March 2, 1909 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 31, Section R4 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. Remarks: Officiating Minister, T. Couch.
SHEPHERD, John (Pensioner, Ex Sergt Major, age 61). Died at Royal Infirmary; Buried on October 11, 1928 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 31, Section R4 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. Remarks: Officiating Minister, Alfred E Farrow: Removed from Sheffield Parish.
The print quality of the cutting is poor and so I have transcribed the report
“EXECUTED” AN ELEPHANT
Death of Sergt-Major John Shepherd
An Old Chesterfield Volunteer
One of the best known and respected permanent staff warrant officers in the ‘Derbyshire Volunteer and Territorial Battalions died in Sheffield infirmary on Monday, in the person of ex-regimental Sergt-Major John Shepherd, formerly of the Chesterfield Battalion the 2nd V,B, Notts and Derby Regt Regt, now the 6th Sherwood Foresters.
Sergt-Major Shepherd who was aged 61, served with the 1st Batt. Notts and Derby Regiment and with the Volunteers until he reached pensionable age, and then became the landlord of the White Hart Hotel at Eckington, but he rejoined the colours on the outbreak of the Great War and
served until the Armistice. Then he became the steward of the Yorkshire Dragoons’ Club in Sheffield, only resigning his post through illness last August.
INSTRUCTOR AT BAKEWELL
Sergt-Major Shepherd joined the Notts and Derby Regt at the age f 17 and served with that corps in Africa and India for 15 years. Afterwards he was appointed colour-sergeant instructor with “D” Company of the second V. D. Notts and Derby Regt at Bakewell. He remained with “D” Company for four years. He married Bakewell lady Miss H. Rogers, who, with two grown up daughters, survives him.
On the late Col. H Brooke- Taylor resigning the command of the Volunteer Battalion, Sergeant Shepherd was moved to Clay Cross and promoted to the rank of Regimental Sergt-Major. Col {now General } G. M. Jackson, managing director of the Clay Cross Coal and Iron Co. having succeeded to the command being the chief reason for the change of station. He succeeded Regimental Sergt-Major Seaton now Major of Chesterfield as senior warrant officer of the battalion.
DUM-DUMS FOR “OLD PAUL”
Sergt-Major Shepherd was the central figure of a rather unusual episode during the time he lived in Bakewell commanding the firing squad that “executed” a rogue elephant. It appears that the animal severely mauled his keeper (Mr George Sanger) and a mahout during a visit to the town of Sanger’s Circus.
The death sentence having been pronounced it was at first decided to kill the animal by means of poison and a monster dose of strychnine was given. There being no apparent symptoms of distress, Sergt-Major Shepherd and a troop of the Derbyshire Yeomanry resident in the town were asked to shoot the elephant which was named “Old Paul”.
The culprit was chained to stout stakes driven into the ground in Bakewell Meadows and the fatal volley was fired into the carcass, the end of the small caliber military bullets being filed flat to make them into expanding dum-dum big game stoppers. “Old Paul” was a monster elephant his dimensions being given as 12 feet from head to tail, 17 feet to end of trunk, 9 feet 6 inches in height and no less than 18 feet in girth. The carcass weighed four tons. He was buried on the spot, but many years later the bones were dug up and presented to a museum.
The site of the execution circa 1880
Bakewell Meadows, Derbyshire - William Henry Pigott (c.1810–1901)
Museums Sheffield
COMRADES CHAFF
Mr Shepherd had to endure a good deal of chaff at the various camps for years after on account of his prowess as a “big game” hunter, and in many a home of Derbyshire volunteers of that time are still Sergt-Major Shepherd standing by the dead elephant rifle in hand.
The funeral took place at Burngreave Cemetery (Sheffield), on Thursday.
Further details of John's military service and a photograph can be found at an excellent site dedicated to the Derbyshire Territorials
Sources
Derbyshire Times dated Saturday 13th October 1928
Sheffield Indexers
Art UK (Museums Sheffield)
This page was last updated on 31/01/19 12:29