STYLES William

William Styles was born in Blockley in late 1891 and was resident there in 1901, aged 9, at Old Jockey Stables Cottage, Blockley.  In 1911 he had moved to Culls Meadow Cottages Toddington near Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.  His father was variously a woodsman or a labourer.  He himself, together with older brother Maurice, was working as a labourer on a fruit plantation in 1911; a younger brother Charles was a worker at a cannery factory, perhaps associated.

Little is known of William’s war service as his personal documentation has presumably not survived.  He enlisted in the Grenadier Guards, his service number is valid for enlistment in December 1914 or January 1915, well before conscription and thus he was clearly a volunteer.  He served in the 3rd Battalion, which was based at Wellington Barracks in London when war broke out, and he went to France with the battalion in July 1915.  Nothing is known about his service until he was killed in action in November 1917.  He was unmarried.

William was one of six surviving children, including four boys.  His two elder brothers, Thomas William and Walter, and younger brother (Frederick) Charles, were of an age to have served in the war, but documentation for them has not yet been identified.

From the Medal Index Card:
William Styles, Grenadier Guards, Private, 21367, Victory Medal and British War Medal, 1915 Star (to France 26/7/1915), killed in action

From Soldiers’ Effects:
William Styles, 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards, Lance-Corporal, 21367, killed in action 27/11/1917, France
GBP12 17s 1d plus GBP16 10s 0d war gratuity to father Charles

William Styles has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Cambrai Memorial.