VAUGHAN, JOHN (1871 - 1956), general

Name: John Vaughan

Author: John Graham Jones

Born 31 July 1871, the second son of John Vaughan, Nannau, Dolgellau, Merionethshire (he died in 1900) and Elinor Anne, daughter of Edward Owen, Garthyngharad, Dolgellau. The family could trace its descent from the Welsh princes of the middle ages. Vaughan was educated at Eton and at the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. He joined the Seventh Hussars in 1891 and served in the Matabele relief expedition in 1896, in Mashonaland in 1897, and in the Sudan campaign in 1898. He was badly wounded during the South African War of 1899-1901, was mentioned three times in despatches, and was awarded an array of honours including the D.S.O. in 1902. He became a major in the 10th Hussars in 1904, and from 1911 until 1914 he served as commandant of the Cavalry School at Netheravon. During World War I he was given command of the Third Cavalry Brigade; he was mentioned in despatches, was awarded the C.B. in 1915 and a bar to the D.S.O. in 1919. He also became a Commander Légion d’honneur. In 1919 he was chosen to command the First Cavalry Brigade, and retired from military life in the following year.

John Vaughan served as the Welsh President of the British Legion in 1932, was a zone commander of the Home Guard during World War II, and was Deputy Lieutenant of Merionethshire from 1943 until 1954. He also served as a J.P. for the county. He published a volume of reminiscences entitled Cavalry and sporting memoirs (1955), where he was harsh in his condemnation of David Lloyd George’s leadership during World War I. He was much interested in fishing and hunting.

Vaughan married on 22 October 1913 Louisa Evelyn, eldest daughter of Captain J. Stewart, Alltyrodyn, Llandysul, Cardiganshire, and the widow of Harold P. Wardell, Brynwern, Newbridge-on-Wye. There were no children. They lived at Nannau. He died 21 January 1956 at his home after falling from his horse.