The memoirs of Ernest Styles

Ernest Stanley Styles was born in Coopersale Common, near Epping, in 1893. His family came from a long line of Brickmakers in that area dating back to the 1700's.

In 1912 the family moved to Coggeshall in Essex where they purchased a Brickmaking business. Ernest, his brother and his father worked together there until the start of the First World War.

Both Ernest and his brother, Thomas, joined the Essex Yeomanry and both survived the war without serious wounds. They both returned to the hand making business of making handcrafted bricks and tiles.

Ernest was persueded to write his memories of World War One in 1980. It is mazing how clear his memory was and how many names etc. he remembered. Ernest never dwelt on the horrors of seeing his comrades killed and injured, but the story he wrote highlights the wasted lived and damaged families that can result from war.

This was a man witha strong personality and a great sense of humour who was dearly missed when he died aged 91.

This is a scanned copy of a photocopy created from the original document.