Brothers Isaac, Joseph and Solomon Shepherd were Jewish conscientious objectors born in South Wales. Their parents were Polish immigrants who had moved to Wales in the 1890s, and the three brothers inherited a complex mix of anti-war motivations. Socialist, Jewish and descended from Polish migrants, they had many reasons for refusing to fight in the war, politically, religiously and nationally - they could not participate in a war that went against their politics, their religion and would be fought on behalf of the Russian regime, in support of their anti-Semitic policies. Joseph was only 19 when the Military Service Act attempted to force him into uniform, but was old enough to be caught up in Conscription at the same time as his older brothers. A member of the Independent Labour Party, Joseph joined the No-Conscription Fellowship in the Guard Room of the Cardiff Drill Hall! There, alongside other Conscientious Objectors from around Wales, he wrote a letter to the NCF outlining his experiences:

“Hope to smuggle you just a word. Escorted to roller rink, Cardiff, on Monday Evening. No supper, no beds. Slept on floor. Tuesday morning, no breakfast. Taken before major and asked to sign rations form, refused. Asked to see doctor and sign papers, refused. Threat by Major of death penalty, or anything less court martial shall determine. All orders disobeyed. Still no food. After 24 hours fast asked again to sign rations form or send out for food. Refused to do either. Victory at last! Bread and cheese for supper. Delicious beyond words! Blankets!! Salmon for breakfast!!! Wild excitement. Flag flying cheerfully. Concerts on guard-room floor a speciality. Soldiers learning the “Red Flag”. Whatever lies before us we can face it.”

The letter was signed “the Guard-room branch of the NCF”. The men involved were all Absolutist COs, who together resisted any attempt to force them into uniform. Joseph faced a court martial and prison sentence soon after, and by June 1916, he was in Wormwood Scrubs on a two year sentence. He accepted the Home Office Scheme in August, and shortly after was released from prison to the Clare camp, to work on road building. The small Home Office Centre at Clare was closed in 1917, and it is not known where Joseph went from there, but it is likely that he would have stayed on the Home Office Scheme until demobilisation and the release of COs from prison in mid-late 1919.