Name
John William Vincent
5 May 1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/05/1916
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Ordinary Seaman
J/30744
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Defence."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Navy Star, British War Medal and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
16
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Bishop's Stortford memorials,
Takeley War Memorial, Essex
Pre War
John William Vincent was born in Takeley, Essex on 5 May 1898 to John and Elizabeth Vincent.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at The Street, Takeley where his father was a bricklayer’s labourer. The family were still living in The Street on the 1911 Census (although his father is not listed) and John was a schoolboy.
Wartime Service
He joined the Royal Navy on 15 April 1914 as a ‘Boy’ and served on the HMS Powerful, Defiance and Defence. His 12 year period of engagement as an Ordinary Seaman began on 5 May 1916.
HMS Defence was sunk during the Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of the war. Escorting the main body of the Grand Fleet, the ship was fired upon by one German battlecruiser and four dreadnoughts as she attempted to engage a disabled German light cruiser. She was struck by two salvoes from the German ships that detonated her rear magazine. The fire from that explosion spread to the ship's secondary magazines, which exploded in turn. There were no survivors.
Additional Information
Brother to Herbert George Vincent who served in the Royal Engineers, died on 4 September 1916 and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
