Harold Thomas STYLES

24 September 1915

AUSTWICK – For the Front

Harold T. Styles, son of Mr. Harry and Mrs Styles, of the Cottage, Harden, has been home for a few days on final leave before going abroad. Mr. Styles joined the 13th Cheshire Regiment at Heswall, Cheshire, on the 7th September, 1914. During the period of training he has been promoted to Lance Corporal.

15 September 1916

AUSTWICK – PROMOTION FOR AUSTWICK SOLDIER

In a letter written to his parents, who reside at Harden Cottage, Corporal H.S[T]. Styles informs them that he has been promoted from Corporal to Company-Segeant-Major in the space of three weeks for good work done in the trenches. Coy.-Sergt.-Major Styles is 23 years of age and enlisted at Liverpool on September 7th, 1914, in the Cheshire Regiment and went out to France on September 15th, 1915. Prior to the war he was employed at various places as footman and butler.

05 January 1917

AUSTWICK – COMMISSION FOR A LOCAL SOLDIER

Company Sergeant Major H. Styles, of the 13th Battalion Cheshire Regiment, and son of Mr. H. Styles, Harden Cottage, has been offered and accepted a commission. He has been out on active service for 15 months, and has risen from a private to his present position. He is spending a month’s furlough in his native village, prior to entering into training for his lieutenancy.

13 April 1917

AUSTWICK

Cadet H. T. Styles has been home on four days leave. He is at present in the college at Oxford training for his lieutenancy.

29 June 1917

COMMISSION FOR AUSTWICK SOLDIER

A commission has been granted to Mr. H. T. Styles, only son of Mr. H. Styles, Harden Cottage, who has been gazetted Second Lieutenant, and attached to the Manchester Regiment. He was formerly a butler, and enlisted with other colleagues at Liverpool in September 1914 in the 13th Batt. Cheshire Regiment, with which Regiment he was on 15 months’ active service up to the time of being granted a commission. He has had four months’ special training for his lieutenancy at New College, Oxford, passing all his examinations most successfully.

07 September 1917

AUSTWICK – MILITARY CROSS FOR LIEUTENANT STYLES

Mrs. H.T. Styles, Harden Cottage, has received a letter from her husband, Second Lieutenant H.T. Styles, stating that he has been recommended for the Military Cross following gallantry and soldierly conduct in a very successful attack on the Western Front between the 18th and 22nd August.

Second Lieutenant Styles is the only son of Mr. H. Styles, Harden Cottage, and has risen from the ranks step by step to his present position. It is only a short time since he was offered and accepted a commission and was gazetted to the Manchester Regiment.

09 November 1917

AUSTWICK

Mrs. H.T. Styles has been notified from the War Office that her husband, 2nd Lieut. H.T. Styles, M.C., Manchester Regiment, and only son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Styles, Harden Cottage, has been wounded.

30 November 1917

AUSTWICK – Local Soldiers Missing

Much anxiety is felt in the village as to the fate of two local soldiers, viz., Sergt. Arthur Booth, and Second-Lieutenant H. T. Styles, M.C., Manchester Regiment.

The career of Lieut. Styles has been a successful one. He enlisted on the outbreak of war in August 1914 in the Cheshire Regiment, and was promoted step by step from the ranks to Company Sergt.-Major. After 15 months’ active service on the Western Front he was offered and accepted a commission, and came to Trinity College, Oxford, for training. He was gazetted in the Manchester Regiment, and went to France again in July last. In August he was recommended for the Military Cross for gallant and soldierly conduct in a very successful attack on the Western Front between the 18th and 22nd August. He was reported wounded on October 22nd, and his wife has since been notified that he has also been missing since that date. Attempts have been made to get news of him from fellow officers, but without avail. Much sympathy is extended to his parents and young wife in their great anxiety.

Sergt. A. Booth, a very well known local soldier, has been missing since an engagement on the 27th and 28th August. His officers state that he was cut off from his battalion and has not been seen or heard of since.

24 May 1918

AUSTWICK – Sad News

Official notice has been received from the War Office by Mrs. H.F. Styles, that her husband, Second-Lieutenant H.T. Styles, M.C., Manchester Regiment, who was previously reported as wounded and missing on October [2]2nd last, was killed on that date. The information was received from Private B.C. Thompson of the late Lieutenant’s Company, who said, “About October 22nd at Houthulst Wood[Forest] we were going over between 5-30 and 6 a.m., my section being led by this officer, when, having got to the edge of the wood, he was shot and died instantly. I myself shouted something to him about some Germans retiring, and getting no answer went over to him and found him on his knees quite dead. I touched him to make sure and then went back to my Lewis gun. I myself was wounded very soon afterwards.” The late lieutenant was 23 years of age, and was the only son of Mr. H. Styles, Harden Cottage. He enlisted at the outbreak of the war in the Cheshire Regiment. He had not been long in the Army before he was promoted Lance-Corporal, and subsequently attained the position of Company-Sergeant-Major. Later he was offered and accepted a commission. A few weeks before his death he won the Military Cross for bravery in the field. He leaves a widow and one son. His loss will be greatly felt in the village, as he was a very popular and sociable lad, and the heartfelt sympathy of the people of Austwick and district are extended to his relatives in the sad loss.

04 July 1919

PEACE SUPPLEMENT TO THE 'CRAVEN HERALD' – CRAVEN'S FALLEN OFFICERS

SECOND-LIEUTENANT H. T. STYLES, M.C.

Manchester Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Styles, Harden Cottage, Austwick. Killed on October 2nd, 1917, aged 23 years.