L/Cpl 27377 David William Vaughan

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 20th September 1917
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

David William (known to the family as Willie/Will)Vaughan was born in the June quarter of 1891 in Liverpool, the son of Thomas Henry Vaughan and his wife Mary Catherine (nee Jones). His parents married in 1888.

Crew records 1877-1887 “Osiris” exist for father Thomas H. Vaughan b.1861 Denbigh. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 123 Robson Street, Liverpool. His father, Thomas Henry, is aged 39, born 1862 in Denbighshire, his occupation shown as an engine driver, whilst his mother, Mary Catherine, is aged 37, born 1864 in Bangor. At the time of the Census they have five children, Gladys aged 11, born 1890, David William aged 9, Howell aged 7, born 1894, Alice aged 4, born 1897 and Stanley aged 2, born 1899. They also have their sister in law Mary Fletcher aged  41, born 1860 a charwoman and her two children Elizabeth aged 17, born 1884 a dressmaker and George aged 15, born 1886 an apprentice tinsmith.

In October 1901, by which time the family had moved to Ribble Street, Howell, aged 8, was admitted as a boarder to the School for the Deaf and Dumb in Oxford Street, Liverpool, his deafness having been caused by measles/whooping cough.

Youngest brother Stanley died the following year at age 3, a daughter Gwendolyn was born in 1904, and his parents suffered further loss when daughter Alice died at age 10 in 1907.

In 1911 the family is found at 8 Ribble Street, Kirkdale. His father, 49, is an electric crane driver for the Council, his mother is 47.  Gwladys, 21, is a shop assistant (toys and fancy goods), David is 19, a butcher’s shop assistant, Howell is 17, a boot repairer, and Gwendolyn is 7, at school.

He enlisted in Liverpool joining the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 27377. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted in about July 1915, and arrived in France in early 1916.

His father died, aged 54, on 04th March 1916, his death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on the 06th March 1916;

VAUGHAN - March 4, at 150 Granton Road, Thomas Henry, dearly beloved husband of M. C,  Vaughan, and son of the late David Vaughan. Funeral Anfield Cemetery, Wednesday 3 p.m.

Willie had reached the rank of Lance Corporal when he was killed in action on the 20^th September, 1917 aged 26, during The Third Battle of Ypres.

The details of the attack in which Willie was killed were recorded in the Battalion diary:

19^th September 1917 – In support in Denys Wood.  Battalion relieved 17^th KLR in front line. Relief complete about 11 p.m.   

20^th September 1917 – A raid was carried out by a party of the battalion of 25 OR under Capt. C. Laird, just before 6 a.m. on The Twins. Enemy machine gun fire, however, proved too much for them, although several attempts were made to reach the objective.  Capt. C. Laird was killed in the operation, also 6 OR, and 14 OR were wounded.

Graham Maddocks in “Liverpool Pals”, p.178, explains:  

“The remainder of September was fairly uneventful for the rest of the Pals Battalions, except for two trench raids made by the 19^th Battalion on 20 September 1917, which, elsewhere on the Salient, was the opening day of the phase of the offensive later referred to as the Battle of the Menin Road. These raids were made for two purposes. The first was an attempt to confuse the enemy as to the intensity and direction of the main attack, and the second was to try to capture two blockhouses known as ‘The Twins’, which commanded the 19^th Battalion’s trench front, and thus was able to dominate all its movement. The raiding party, consisting of Captain C. Laird, and twenty-five other ranks left the British front line at 6.00 a.m. and moved into No Man’s Land. However, it was soon spotted, and machine guns opened fire from the blockhouses. Despite a most determined effort to carry the objectives, the situation was hopeless from the start, and Laird and six other ranks were killed and fourteen more soldiers were wounded.”

Willie's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

His family paid tribute to Willie in the Liverpool Daily Post on 06th October 1917, each tribute includes the Pals motto Sans Changer:

VAUGHAN - September 20, killed in action, aged 26 years, Lance-Corporal D. W. Vaughan (Willie), dearly loved son of Mary and the late Tom Vaughan, 150 Granton Road, and the grandson of the late David Vaughan, 19 Daisy Street. (His duty nobly done, sans changer.)

VAUGHAN - September 20, killed in action, aged 26 years, Lance-Corporal D. W. Vaughan (Willie) K.L.R. (Never forgotten by Jen. sans changer.) 

His death was reported again in the Liverpool Echo on 20th October 1917

KILLED IN ACTION

Lance-Corporal D. W. VAUGHAN of 150 Granton Road, Anfield, was killed in action on September 20th, after being at the front nearly 2 years. Previously he was employed by the Liverpool Corporation. In April last, he was "mentioned in despatches as a fine example of devotion to duty" by his Brigadier-General.

The Echo report for Willie says he was "mentioned in despatches as a fine example of devotion to duty" by his Brigadier-General. Sadly we can't find the London Gazette entry for it and there is no annotation on his medal index card. It is highly probable that his officer had every intention of forwarding his name but circumstances may have prevented it.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £10 went to his mother, who was awarded a pension of 14/- a week from April 1918.

His family again paid tribute in the Liverpool Daily Post on the second anniversary of his death 20th September 1919

VAUGHAN - In loving memory of my dear son, Lance-Corporal D. W. VAUGHAN, 19th K.L.R., killed in action September 20, 1917. - His sorrowing Mother, Brother and Sisters.

VAUGHAN - In loving remembrance of Lance-Corporal D. W. VAUGHAN (Will) 19th K.L.R., killed in action September 20, 1917. -

Never forgotten by Jen. and all at 148 Granton Road.

In 1939 his mother, 76, living on private means, is with married daughter Gwladys and family at “Woodside”, Ulverston. 

His mother died in 1948 at the age of 85.

Willie is remembered in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 35.

We currently have no further information on David William Vaughan, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.