Vaughan Williams

 Former P.C. Vaughan Williams recently made contact with us through our ExPo website enquiring if he could join the Ex-Police Officers Association.  By way of explanation,  our former colleagues  living abroad don’t have to sign up as official  members of ExPo.  We found that trying to collect annual dues from overseas members was more trouble than it was worth with all of the bank charges etc.  Vaughan was advised accordingly, but he was also asked if he could write and let us know where he is and what he’s doing these days, to which he wrote the following reply:-

"My full name is John Vaughan Williams and I served with the BPS from January 1988 to August 1998 so almost 11 years. In fact, I was gutted that, including my UK service (September 1980 to January 1988 in Bedfordshire Police, mainly uniform and Traffic, during which I managed to pass my Sergeants' Exam but left before having a chance to go for promotion, instead preferring the lure of Bermuda!), my total service fell short of the 18 years required to receive a Long Service Medal by only a matter of weeks.

Localisation Course 1/88
Back Row (l-r)  -  PC 516 Martin Weekes, PC 513 Steven Palmer, PC 509 James Agnew, 

In Bermuda I started in uniform in Central Division, before moving to Traffic (Ops), then MCPS, then ComOps and finally CID in Central Division. I was also on the USRT for a while whilst I was in CID. In 1996, I was one of 4 BPS officers that went to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta as part of the International Police Security Team.

Returning to the UK, I got into insurance claims investigation, which, for my sins, I continue with to date. 

However, I loved my time in the BPS (particularly MCPS) and like all of us, have some amazing memories, not least of all, it is where I met my wife, and our first child was born there.

My wife and I visited again in 2017, and to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary, we are returning again (with our other two children) for a week in September this year, which we are thoroughly looking forward to.”

Vaughan explained that he doesn’t do Facebook but his wife does and that’s how he became aware of ExPo Bermuda. He also says he’s remained in contact with several people in Bermuda, including Steve Palmer, and that he and his wife are in contact with several other ex-BPS members in the UK.  

Vaughan and  Allison with their son Josh and daughter Livvie.

Vaughan wrote to us after seeing our Facebook article about “Winning isn’t everything in Sport” in which we mentioned  some of our ExPo football fans and their teams.  He writes, “My team (since about 45 years before the recent Hollywood takeover, I hasten to add), Wrexham, hadn't had a mention. Normally, I would understand but given that they recently achieved their third consecutive promotion (i.e., back-to-back-to-back), something that no other league club has managed, I was a little surprised but I've got broad shoulders. Perhaps it's because they're not in the Premier League (yet)?

To make amends to Vaughan we've added some information about Wrexham's amazing achievement to our "Winning isn't everything in Sport" article.   CLICK HERE to view it.

Vaughan also commented that it’s always sad to hear of officers passing, particuarly those we knew and worked with.

It’s great to hear from Vaughan, and I’m sure there are many more of our former colleagues who may not be aware of our ExPo website and Facebook.  We’re always delighted to hear from anyone who has served here in the BPS, and we encourage you to write and let us know where you are and what you’re doing.