Frederick was born on 7 September 1894 in Edmonton, Middlesex, the second child of William and Martha Eliza (née Southey) Egan. Sadly his brother, the first born, Willam A (1891) died when only 3 months old. Between the birth of Frederick and the 1901 census the parents had separated and, although no documentation could be found, divorced. The father William Egan married Lizzie Free in the 4Q 1899 and had 2 children, Alice (1903) and Charles (1906). William Egan died in the 3Q 1907 and this seems to have allowed mum, Martha Eliza free to marry Henry Alfred Williams in 2Q 1908 and they had 4 children. Queenie Alice (1909), Henry Frederick (1910), Violet Elizabeth (1912) and Richard Thomas (1915). In the 1901 census Frederick is living with his father and stepmothe Lizzie at 21, Burlington Road, Tottenham, Edmonton, Middlesex. It is then recorded he was on the “Boy Training Ship” ARETHUSA for boys between 11 years and 16 years old before joining the Royal Navy in 1910.

Frederick joined the Royal Navy on the 27 June 1910 when he was 15 years and 9 months old after passing through the gates of HMS GANGES, the “Boy Training Establishment” in Shotley, Suffolk, as a Boy Second Class. On 24 September 1910 he moved to HMS IMPREGNABLE, also a “Boy Training Ship” in Devonport dockyard, Plymouth, Devon. He was advanced to  Boy First Class on 17 December 1910 and then joined HMS DONEGAL on 6 June 1911 to complete sea training. Then his first visit to HMS PEMBROKE 1 (RN Barracks Chatham), Kent, was on 17 September and he had a draft to HMS SHEARWATER on 13 October 1911. While serving on board he was rated Ordinary Seaman on 7 September 1912 and to Able Seaman on 27 November 1912, and then drafted back to PEMBROKE 1 on 26 November 1913. He then served on a variety of ships through 1914, HMS ACTAEON, HMS VERNON, HMS DIDO (1914-1915), PEMBROKE 1, HMS HIBERNIA and finally HMS DOLPHIN on 9 October 1915 for the initial submariners course. He joined HMS MAIDSTONE on 11 November 1915 with a return to DOLPHIN on 27 December 1915, then back to MAIDSTONE for E24 on 21 January 1916.

On the morning of 21 March 1916 E24 departed Harwich for mine laying operations in the area of the Heligoland Bight. A position report was transmitted from E24 that night. Then nothing more was heard from the submarine and she did not make her date for return to Harwich. She was reported as “missing” on the 24 March 1916. The wreck of E24 was found and surveyed in  1974 and it showed damage to her hull as from an exploding mine. She had completed her mine laying task and was on her way home.

Able Seaman Frederick Egan, Svc No. J8844 had “Crossed The Bar” with 34 of his shipmates. He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial on Panel 16.