Robert M. Shedden
Early Life
Robert Malcolm Shedden was born on April 16, 1894, in Brooklyn, New York. By the time of the First World War, he had established a connection to Rye, New York, residing at 27 Purchase Street, placing him among the young men of the community who entered service during the war years.
Prior to his military service, he was active in civic life and was noted as one of the early leaders associated with the local Young Men’s Christian Association (Y.M.C.A.), reflecting an early commitment to community organization and service.
World War I Service
Shedden entered military service on May 4, 1917, in New York City, receiving a commission through the Officers’ Reserve Corps of the United States Army. He was assigned to Base Hospital No. 2, part of the Army Medical Department supporting the American Expeditionary Forces.
Base hospitals were essential components of the Army’s wartime medical system, providing treatment for wounded and ill soldiers behind the front lines. These facilities handled everything from emergency surgery to long-term recovery and rehabilitation.
Shedden served overseas in France from May 14, 1917, to February 3, 1919, a period that spanned the entirety of American involvement in the war. During his service, he advanced through the enlisted ranks from Private to Corporal and later to Sergeant, reflecting increasing responsibility within the medical service structure.
He later served as chief statistical officer at the American hospital in Étretat, France, a role that involved managing records, patient data, and operational reporting within a major wartime medical facility.
He sustained no wounds or injuries in action and was honorably discharged on February 17, 1919.
Life After Service
Following his military service, Shedden built a successful career in finance, working for more than four decades with the New York investment banking firm Dillon, Read & Company, where he rose to the position of executive officer.
He later resided in Forest Hills, New York, and eventually in Fairfield, Connecticut. He was active in social and professional circles, including membership in the West Side Tennis Club.
Robert M. Shedden died on April 4, 1970, at the age of 75 in Fairfield, Connecticut.
At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Helen Muriel Purdy Shedden; his sons, Malcolm Shedden, Robert P. Shedden, and Harry B. Shedden; his brother, John Shedden; and his sisters, Dora Munson of Port Chester and Mae McCroskey of Rye.