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Frank Rusby Styring


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After wandering through Crookes Cemetery the other day I noticed this memorial - an eight foot tall celtic cross with a Tank Corps cap badge in the centre! It looks like the family of Gunner Styring used their family plot to erect a private memorial to him until they died and were buried there (their names are on the plinth at the bottom). I mentioned it to Dean the other day and promised some pics (many thanks again for those other images) - so here they are! Gunner Styring himself is actually buried in Arras.

The writing makes fascinating reading; there's even extracts from the letters home sent by his OC and Chaplain on there. Dean has also kindly provided an image of the man himself to enhance it. I'm not sure whether this has been recorded or mentioned elsewhere in this forum but it got me interested and thought others may be too; it's a pretty individual memorial if nothing else.

GnrEaton

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It's just on the right as you go down the path towards the church, but unless you actually look closely at it it looks like most of the others in the same block. The craftsmanship on the carving is stunning, the Styring's must have been very proud of their son's contribution ot the war.

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It's just on the right as you go down the path towards the church, but unless you actually look closely at it it looks like most of the others in the same block. The craftsmanship on the carving is stunning, the Styring's must have been very proud of their son's contribution ot the war.

Families were indeed proud of their sons and their sacrifice. Perhaps it was the only way they could reconcile themselves to their loss. There's a similar stone in Ecclesall churchyard

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From The Chris Hobbs Site and the section on the Cemetery

http://www.chrishobbs.com/sheffield2/crook...terywardead.htm

STYRING. In proud and loving memory of Gunner Frank Rusby Styring, Heavy Branch MGC (Tank Corps), son of Charles Percy and Lily Styring, born November 8th 1889, died Easter Monday April 9th 1917, of wounds received in action same day at Arras. Buried at Beaurains, Arras, France.

"He knew no fear. He was one of my best men. He was guiding a "tank" over the Hindenburg line" OC

"He was in the open pointing out the way so that his crew might get along safely" The Chaplain.

[Frank Rusby Styring appears identical with Gunner 206159, "D" Bn., Tank Corps, died Monday 9th April 1917, age 27. Son of Charles Percy & Lily Styring, "Beaurains", Stumperlowe Crescent Rd, Sheffield. Memorial E.45, Beaurains Road Cemetery, Beaurains, Pas de Calais, France.]

It seems as though his parents named their house in Stumperlowe Crescent Rd, Sheffield after Frank's last resting place.

Does anyone know if it is still there and called Beaurains?

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Not an answer to the above question,

but I came across this ..

206159 Pte Frank Rusby Styring born Oct to Dec 89; probably in Nether Hallam near Sheffield.

Registered in Eccleshall Bierlow Derbyshire.

The third child and eldest son of optician Charles Percy Styring and his wife Lilly he was living in ‘91 at 88 Sydney Rd, Nether Hallam, Sheffield then 37 Parkers Rd, Nether Hallam in Sheffield 1901.

Enlisted Sheffield, continued to serve with D Coy and then D Bn on its formation. DOW, aged 27, on 9 Apr ‘17 whilst serving with D Bn during the opening actions of the battle of Arras.

As he was buried at Beaurains Rd Military Cemetary,

he was probably killed during the attack by 56th Div of the southern part of the Harp feature which was supported by No 10 Coy (either no 2 or 3 section - records vary). London Times death notice 1 May ‘17.

The CWGC site states his parents later lived at "Beaurains", Stumperlain Crescent Rd Sheffield.

Note: his brother Ernest Lenton Styring served in KSLI and survived the war.

Here .. www.firsttankcrews.com

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Guest firsttankcrews

Have just found this superb site - I am so glad Styring is being remembered with pride

Would you object to my downloading the photos as they add so much to Franks; story

Stephen Pope

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Guest firsttankcrews

Here is a picture of Frank taken at Norfolk in August 1916, before he deployed to France.

He is in the rear rank on the left

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Have just found this superb site - I am so glad Styring is being remembered with pride

Would you object to my downloading the photos as they add so much to Franks; story

Stephen Pope

Hello Stephen.

welcome to the site,

feel free to downlad any of the above photos you need.

Steve.

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Here is a picture of Frank taken at Norfolk in August 1916, before he deployed to France.

He is in the rear rank on the left

Not sure if the color cast on your image is intended or not?

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Have just found this superb site - I am so glad Styring is being remembered with pride

Would you object to my downloading the photos as they add so much to Franks; story

Stephen Pope

Welcome to the Site Firsttankcrews; everything here is free, fill yer boots. Ask questions, its what we need to remain alive/relevant/interesting.

We have a number of members with expertise in different areas, Member Trefcon is probably a man you might like a conversation with, Member Vox might provide more details on vavoius Styrings (I've contributed to that but I've no real knowledge of the family history.

The Site is free, helpful and polite but is dependent on input from people like you - people with questions/photos/histories/memories so keep us updated please.

If you want to know who is good with which topic, please just ask - it'll give folks a good chance to wind me up by pointing out me as Mr. Transport, or Mr Sport. Member Steve is Mr. How did he do that with my photo ? - along with other tasks.

Enjoy, contribute and tell yer mates - it can't be bad for now't he he

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Guest Trefcon

Hello Stephen, brilliant to have such as yourself on here, along with the link to your excellent website. I must admit i have trawled your site for Sheffield connections a couple of years ago, not to publish mind, just to collate. I was going to post an image of Frank, but it seems i must have already sent it to 'GnrEaton', he used it in the first post !

Anything connected to Sheffield from your site would be great on here !

regards

Dean.

( i know i have Tank men in my stuff, but i can't find it yet !! )

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Guest firsttankcrews

Dean Richard

Thank you for the warm welcome

I have a couple of others with Sheffield connections and will post them as new threads

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Thank you, look forward to your information, maybe we can find some more detail about their early lives (hopefully).

Cheers

RichardB

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Great to see Frank with his crew, and yes I think you did send me the original image Dean! Were they all killed at the same time as Frank do we know (just out of interest)?

Dan.

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Guest firsttankcrews

Were they all killed at the same time as Frank do we know (just out of interest)?

Dan.

It is diffcult to be certain but onlly one of the others appear in either the list of "soldiers who died in the Fear War" or on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission;s records His name was Atkins and I believe he died

as the result of a accident near Bovington in Fev 1917.

We know for certain that the commander Frank Drader survived and was commanding a company by the end of the way; He eventually settled in ved to Los Angeles where he died 1956

The Cpl to his right - Owen Rowe lost his leg at Cambrai and later died of TB in the 1920s.

Stephen

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Guest firsttankcrews

I am visiting Sheffield next week to attend my niece's wedding.

I would like to plant a poppy cross at Frank's memorial whilst in the city.

Could some-one help me by identifying exactly where the stone can be found

May thanks

Stephen

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Guest firsttankcrews

It is difficult to be certain but only one of the others appear in either the list of "soldiers who died in the Fear War" or on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission;s records His name was Atkins and I believe he died as the result of a accident near Bovington in Feb 1917.

Stephen

Walter Atkins died as a result of an operation undertaken at Bovington Camp. He suffered from shrapnel injured whilst out of the tank on 15 September and evacuated to the UK.

He is standing next to FrankStyring in the picture

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