F.A.V. Wervill (Midshipman "Lost at Sea" WWI)
A Book, a Boy, and a Battleship: The Short Life of Frederick Arthur Vladimir Welvill
In the inside cover of a 1912 edition of
Shakespeare’s Stories of the English Kings, bound in red buckram and embossed
with the gilt crest of H.M.S. Conway, lies a quiet tribute to a young life cut
tragically short. The bookplate reads:
H.M.S. “Conway”
School Ship
Quit Ye Like Men: Be Strong
Awarded to F.A.V. Wervill
This volume belonged to Frederick Arthur Vladimir Welvill, a promising cadet whose journey from school ship to warship ended in one of the Royal Navy’s most devastating disasters.
Training for the
Sea: HMS Conway and a Young Cadet’s Promise
Born on 4 September 1900 in Walton on the
Hill, Liverpool, Frederick was the son of Arthur Welvill, a bank manager, and
Irene Millard. At just 15, he joined HMS Conway, a Merchant Navy training ship
anchored on the River Mersey. The vessel was renowned for shaping boys into
officers, instilling discipline and maritime skill under the motto: Quit Ye
Like Men: Be Strong.
Frederick excelled. After leaving Conway in
May 1917, he proceeded to Dartmouth, where he won the King’s Prize for General
Efficiency, ranking 19th out of more than 100 cadets. His performance was so
exceptional that he was excused two years of cadetship and immediately
commissioned into active service.
HMS Vanguard: A Fatal Assignment
On 7 May 1917, Frederick was posted to HMS
Vanguard as a Midshipman. Just two months later, on 9 July, tragedy struck.
While anchored in Scapa Flow, the battleship suffered a catastrophic internal
explosion likely caused by faulty cordite in the ammunition magazines. The ship
sank almost instantly, killing 843 of the 845 men aboard.
Only 22 bodies were recovered. Frederick
was not among them. He was just 16 years old.
Remembrance and Legacy
Frederick’s Victory and British War Medals
were claimed by his mother, Irene, after his death. He is commemorated on a
family headstone in St Peter’s Churchyard, Merseyside, and on the Chatham Naval
Memorial, which honors those lost at sea with no known grave.
Preserved in Paint: A Tribute to a Young
Life Lost
A portrait of Midshipman Welvill is held by the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, suggesting that his image was preserved posthumously likely commissioned by his family to honour his memory. This aligns with the tradition of commemorating young officers who died in service, especially those whose promising careers were cut short. The portrait is not known to have been made during his lifetime, and given his youth and brief service, it’s unlikely he sat for it before his death.
In naval tradition, especially during WWI,
families often commissioned portraits of lost sons to honour their memory,
especially when no remains could be buried. This was a way to create a tangible
presence in the absence of a grave.
A Book as a Memorial
The book he once held Shakespeare’s Stories of the English Kings now serves as a poignant relic. It connects the literary grandeur of England’s past with the quiet heroism of a boy who gave his life in its service. From the school ship Conway to the doomed Vanguard, Frederick’s story is one of courage, excellence, and sacrifice.
Text Sources
Additional historical details are supported by:
HMS Conway Cadet Records Includes listings of cadets, training achievements, and notable alumni.
National Museum of the Royal Navy – Portrait Collection (portrait of Midshipman Welvill referenced in the essay; not publicly digitized but held in the museum’s collection).
Chatham Naval Memorial – Commonwealth War Graves Commission Confirms Welvill’s commemoration among those lost at sea with no known grave.
Image Sources
National Museum of the Royal Navy (Portsmouth)
