My Grandfather, John Styring, was born in Huddersfield on 26th March 1886. He was the youngest child of Frances and James Crosland Styring. His siblings were Tom, William James, Ernest, Mary Hannah and Walter. He married Myra Severn on 1st June 1908. They had four children: Hilda (August 1909), Norah (June 1911), James Crosland (May 1913) and Sallie (October 1915) born after her father’s death. John was Killed in Action on 6th May 1915 (aged 29) at Hill 60 on the Western Front in one of the first German gas attacks. He has no known grave, but is commemorated by name on the Menin Gate in Belgium and on the War Memorial in Norman Park at Birkby, Huddersfield. Grandma wrote the following description of her husband on the back of his photograph: “Hair – Light Brown Very, Eyes – Blue, Complexion – Fresh, Moustache – Fair”, as well as noting his Regiment and the date and place of his death. She ended with “He Did His Bit”.

Jill Roberts (nee Styring)