H.M.S. Association, commanded by Captain Edmund Loades & with Admiral Shovell on board, was returning from the Mediterranean to port after the Toulon campaign during the War of the Spanish Succession.
The 21 ships in the squadron entered the mouth of the English Channel on the night of October 22, 1707. At 8pm, H.M.S. Association struck the Outer Gilstone Rock off the Isles of Scilly, & was wrecked with the loss of her entire crew of about 800 men. This was the result of navigational errors, as the ships were not where they were reckoned to be. 
H.M.S. Association was seen by those on board H.M.S. St. George to go down in three or four minutes' time. Among the dead were Captain Loades & Admiral Shovell.Three other ships, H.M.S. Eagle, H.M.S. Romney & H.M.S. Firebrand were also lost due to striking rocks & navigational errors, bringing the death toll to nearly 2,000. The Scilly Naval Disaster, as it is now called, was one of the greatest maritime disasters in British history.