2nd Lieut John Vaughan

• Age: 18
• From: Sunderland
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

John Vaughan was born on the 06th May 1898 at Sunderland the son of Reverend John and Mrs Mary Ann Vaughan  (nee Webster) who married in 1895 in Islington, London. His father was ordained into the Presbyterian Church in 1895. John was the second of three children born he had two sisters Mary born in 1896 and Constance born in 1901. 

On the 1901 Census the family are living at 45 Otto Terrace, Sunderland. His father, John, is aged 36, and a Presbyterian minister, born in Birmingham, his mother, Mary A., is aged 37, born in London. Their three children born in Sunderland are Mary aged 5, John aged 2 and Constance aged 2 months. They also employ a servant ,Mary Webster, aged 22.  Sadly Constance died aged 9 in 1910. 

The family moved to Blundellsands in 1904 and by the time of the 1911 Census the family were living at Skethrock, St Anthony’s Road, Blundellsands, Liverpool. 

John was educated at Merchant Taylor’s School between the years of 1909-1915. He played Rugby for the School XV in 1914/15 and was a Sergeant in the Cadet Corps in 1915 before entering Liverpool University in 1915 as a Medical Student. Whilst at University he joined the Officer's Training Corps and was granted a Commission on 07/08/1915 initially with the 15th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment before transferring as a 2nd Lieutenant to the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment. Offered a post as Training Officer for NCOs, he preferred to go to the Front where his proficiency in French led to his appointment as a Liaison Officer. He trained with the Regiment at Formby and Prees Heath, and was considered such a good prospect at this stage, that he was sent on a course of instruction with the Grenadier Guards. He was then offered a home posting training NCOs, but elected to go to the front instead. He crossed to France in July 1916, was immediately transferred to the 20th Battalion, and reported for duty on 21st July 1916. At this time, the Battalion was stationed in bivouacs at Happy Valley on the Somme.

He was killed in action just nine days later on the 30^th July 1916.  

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

John met his death as follows:

As the surviving Germans attempted to escape, Vaughan stood up and directed the fire of his men, as they lay down and shot after the fleeing enemy. Then however, as they moved into the open, towards the German second line, they had to proceed down an exposed slope, which was overlooked by the enemy who were in a perfect enfilading position. Vaughan nevertheless led his men forward, cheering them on, but just as they neared the enemy trench, a machine-gun opened up, and he was hit by a burst of fire, which killed him instantly. He was aged 18.

John's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He is commemorated on the family headstone at Anfield Cemetery where the headstone is inscribed:

“ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOHN VAUGHAN, 2ND LT. 2OTH KINGS REGIMENT (L. POOL REGT), ONLY SON OF REV. J AND M VAUGHAN. BORN 6TH MAY 1898,KILLED IN ACTION, GUILLEMONT FRANCE 30TH JULY 1916”

He is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Merchant Taylors' School

Blundellsands Civic Memorial,

Southport Civic Memorial

Blundellsands Presbyterian Church where his father had been a Minister.

Grateful thanks are extended to Trevor Hildrey, Archivist at Merchant Taylors' School for permission to use the photograph of John Vaughan which was taken whilst he was representing the school in the Rugby XV. 

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