Dunkirk - Soldier search & general info help

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Sasha, Apr 25, 2016.

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  1. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Fit Sgt Styles was the Wireless Operator/Air Gunner on Whitley Z9512 of No 24 Operational Training Unit. He was the screened instructor accompanying 4 student crew members. His Whitley bomber was one of a large force of 630 aircraft (24 Whitleys, 308 Wellingtons, 113 Lancasters, 70 Halifaxes, 61 Stirlings and 54 Hampdens) sent to attack Dusseldorf. Bomber Command's training units, of which 24 OTU was one, had been called upon to provide aircraft. The attacking force suffered heavy losses; 29 aircraft failed to return amongst which was Whitley Z9512. The' operational training units lost 11 out of the 105 aircraft they supplied. Whitley Z9512 took off from RAF Honeybourne at 23.30 on the night of 31 July 1942 but was shot down at 0216 hours on 1 August 1942, coming down near Duisberg Neudorf. All the crew members bar one were killed in the crash. The sole survivor was later court martialled and shot by the Germans whilst a prisoner of war. Fit Sgt Styles and his fellow crew members who perished in the aircraft were buried on the 4 August 1942 in the North Cemetery at Dusseldorf. After the end of the War the RAF Missing and Research Enquiry Unit covering the Dusseldorf area found the graves of your father and his 3 companions and confirmed the identification of the bodies prior to their reburial in Reichswald Cemetery but did not provide a full report...Michel Becker
    Photo: Pam Styles
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    STYLES, ERIC LEONARD

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    Rank:Flight Sergeant
    Trade:W.Op./Air Gnr.
    Service No:761201
    Date of Death:01/08/1942
    Age:33
    Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
    Grave Reference:9. G. 3.
    Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY
    Additional Information:Son of Sydney and Sarah Styles; husband of F. M. Styles, of South Zeal, Devon.

    Kyle
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
  2. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

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    STYLES, GERALD CHARLES


    Rank:Leading Supply Assistant
    Service No D /MX 95912
    Date of Death:05/06/1945
    Age:23
    Regiment/Service:Royal Navy H.M.S. Cormorant.
    Grave Reference:Plot 1. Row D. Joint grave 2.
    Cemetery:GIBRALTAR (NORTH FRONT) CEMETERY
    Additional Information:Son of Hubert George and Mabel Annie Styles, of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire



    Kyle
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
  3. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Two from Jonkerbos
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    STYLES, ROBERT JOHN


    Rank:Fusilier
    Service No:14684922
    Date of Death:14/02/1945
    Age:19
    Regiment/Service:Royal Welch Fusiliers 4th Bn.
    Grave Reference:21. C. 5.
    Cemetery:JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY

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    Arthur Styles

    STYLES, ARTHUR
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    Rank:Private
    Service No:3708700
    Date of Death:09/10/1944
    Age:36
    Regiment/Service:Army Catering Corps attd. Royal Artillery
    Grave Reference:7. B. 8.
    Cemetery: JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY

    Kyle
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
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  4. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

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    STYLES, WILLIAM SIRRELL (JOCK)
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    Rank:Major
    Service No:134837
    Date of Death:15/08/1945
    Age:32
    Regiment/Service:Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C. 50th
    Grave Reference:Grave 72.
    Cemetery: WOOL (HOLY ROOD) CHURCHYARD AND EXTENSION
    Additional Information:Son of William and Janet Simpson Styles; husband of Barbara Jeanne Styles, of Bournemouth, Hampshire


    Kyle
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
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  5. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

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    STYLES, ARTHUR SYDNEY
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    Rank:Flight Sergeant
    Trade:Nav./Bomber
    Service No:1319286
    Date of Death:14/09/1944
    Age:23
    Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 180 Sqdn.
    Grave Reference:Screen Wall. (Grave 30. 20513.).
    Cemetery:WEST NORWOOD CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM
    Additional Information:Son of Frederick Sydney George and Amelia Jessie Styles; husband of Rosina Elizabeth Styles, of West Norwood.

    Kyle
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
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  6. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    One final one from me.

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    STYLES, Frederick. J


    Rank:Craftsman
    Service No:10593587
    Date of Death:27/01/1947
    Age:41
    Regiment/Service:Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
    Grave Reference:Sec. A. Grave 433.
    Cemetery:STANFORD-LE-HOPE CEMETERY
    Additional Information:Son of James and Lilian Styles, of Stanford-le-Hope; husband of Jessie Winifred Styles, of Stanford-le-Hope.


    Kyle
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
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  7. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    from my collection



    STYLES, JOHN ALBERT Rank: Aircraftman 2nd Class Service No: 1716536 Date of Death: 01/03/1943 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Grave Reference: Sec. B19. Grave 20. (Screen Wall. Panel 5). Cemetery: EAST FINCHLEY CEMETERY AND ST. MARYLEBONE CREMATORIUM Additional Information: Son of Alfred Charles and Rose Winifred Styles, of St. Marylebone, London.
     

    Attached Files:

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  8. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    from my collection


    STYLES, ROBERT GRIFFITHS ALAN

    Rank:

    Sergeant

    Trade:

    Air Bomber

    Service No:

    1322545

    Date of Death:

    05/01/1943

    Age:

    20

    Regiment/Service:

    Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

    Grave Reference:

    Panel 3.

    Cemetery:

    GOLDERS GREEN CREMATORIUM



    Additional Information:

    Son of Albert Edward and Elizabeth Ellen Styles. of Acton Vale.
     

    Attached Files:

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  9. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    from my collection


    STYLES, WILLIAM THOMAS COLLINS

    Rank:

    Flight Sergeant

    Service No:

    421767

    Date of Death:

    03/12/1943

    Age:

    26

    Regiment/Service:

    Royal Australian Air Force

    Panel Reference:

    Panel 194.

    Memorial:

    RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL



    Additional Information:

    Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Styles; husband of Hilda Rose Styles, of Collaroy, New South Wales, Australia.
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. Sasha

    Sasha Junior Member

    You have blown me away Kyle. I'm just trying to work out which ones are missing now. I actually have someone willing to visit the ones in Egypt and Germany for me. Looks like the one in Italy doesn't need to go now though! Although it would be nice for someone to visit.

    I've had a few fans send me photos of their local (Styles-less) memorials so it has kick started some interest as well. Really pleased with how it has gone and I wouldn't have been able to do it all without you!

    Sasha
     
  11. Sasha

    Sasha Junior Member

    Sorry to boost this thread back up again, but is there any way to know for sure if my own Grandfather was in Dunkirk?

    His name was Corporal Albert Charles Popham. All I know about him is that he was in the 8th Army and served in Africa and Italy later in the war. He never mentioned France.

    Some photos attached.

    Thank you,

    Sasha
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Apply for his service records from the MoD.
     
  13. Sasha

    Sasha Junior Member

    I'll probably do that now: I've just found his regimental number etc. on Ancestry. It says he enlisted on the 18th April 1940 to the Queen's West Surrey Regiment. From what I've read it seems these boys were indeed involved in Dunkirk. I'm guessing if he was there he had very little training. Frightening to imagine.

    I only knew of service in Africa and Italy but he wouldn't speak about the war at all and so I'm sure there are a few surprises to be found.
     
  14. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Hi Sasha,
    If he enlisted on the 18th April 1940 I would doubt very much if he would have been in France..but I may be wrong (again :) )

    Kyle
     
  15. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Albert Charles Popham in the Surrey, England, Regimental Rolls, 1914-1947

    Name: Albert Charles Popham
    Event Date: 18 Apr 1940
    Regiment Number: 6095799
    Regiment: Queen's Royal West Surrey

    40816_1831101883_1473-00033.jpg

    Assuming he enlisted on 18th April 1940 - from your info re the film, basic training in 1940 took how long??, add that to the enlistment date and the result is ??

    The last ship left Dunkirk with Allied soldiers/personnel on board on ??/June/1940

    TD
     
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  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Operation Dynamo stopped on the 4th June. However Operation Cycle and Ariel continued in to June and August 1940
     
  17. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Hope its not too late to add another Styles: 67th Field Regiment part of 1st Infantry Divison.
    In the spring they moved to Artillery Ranges on the old battlefields of the Somme. Their training was interrupted on the 10th May when the Germans swept into Belgium.
    The 67th Regiment went to their planned positions at Leefdael on the River Dyle on 12th May going into action on the 14th May.
    There they began the long retreat to Dunkirk withdrawing to various defensive lines at rivers and canals.
    On 17th May in the area south of Brussels Captain Jimmy Styles Commanding A Troop was last seen by his driver advancing towards the Germans armed with a revolver.
    For many years the Dunkirk veterans looked in vain for his grave in the area of De Panne where they made their last stand defending the beaches. He was in fact buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery to the north in Belgium.
    Jimmy Styles was in fact an Australian.
     

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