Shropshire Star

Remembrance sailor

Ordinary Seaman Evan William Harris Vaughan

Published
Sailor Evan Vaughan

Killed July 9, 1917

Aged 30

Evan was the son of Evan Hancock Vaughan, veterinary and farmer of Stud Farm, Bennetts Bank, Wellington.

He was educated at Wellington (later renamed Wrekin) College, a keen violin player and philatelist.

He was a member of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and signed for war service, joining the battleship HMS Vanguard on March 17, 1917.

While anchored in Scapa Flow on July 9, 1917, the ship was totally destroyed by an internal explosion which killed 842 of the 845 men on board. Among the dead was Evan Vaughan, presumed drowned following the explosion.

The photograph of Evan is provided courtesy of relatives David Home, Keith Reynolds and Pat Jenks. Keith Reynolds will be part of the parade on Remembrance Day in Wellington to represent Evan.

The Shropshire Star has teamed up with the Wellington Remembers 1914-1918 project to feature each day in the run up to Remembrance Sunday one of those who made the ultimate sacrifice and whose name is recorded on the town's lych gate war memorial at All Saints Parish Church. Volunteers have spent two years researching all 184 war dead named on the memorial.