Ajax Veterans Street Dedication: Styles Crescent

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Street Name: Styles Crescent
Name of Veteran: John Edward Styles July 14, 1908-1960
Rank: Chief Engine Room Artificer
Ship Served: HMS Ajax
Date of Service on Ship: Oct. 24, 1942- Jan. 1944
Year of Visit/Dedication: June 3, 2019
Veteran or Family Visit: Matt Styles (great grandson) and friends
Veteran of the Battle of the River Plate: No
Died at Battle: No

John Edward Styles, or Jack as he was known, was born on July 14, 1908 in Chatham, Kent, U.K. He joined the Royal Navy on July 11, 1926 at the age of eighteen. Committing to twelve years of service he began his training as an Engine Room Artificer Apprentice with the teaching ship HMS Fisgard, in Portsmouth.

In the years preceding World War Two the ships Jack served on patrolled the neutral waters of both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. He moved up the ranks from apprentice to Engine Room Artificer within a few short years and in March 1936 passed the exam for Chief Engine Room Artificer.

At the onset of World War Two Jack was serving HMS Maidstone as acting Chief Engine Room Artificer. HMS Maidstone was the depot ship to the ten submarines of the 1st Submarine Flotilla in the Mediterranean. She provided support services to the ships by not only carrying torpedoes but by housing a barbershop, bakery, and cinema.

Jack was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct medal in November 1941 while posted at Fort St. Angelo.

On October 24, 1942 Jack joined HMS Ajax, as Chief Engine Room Artificer, when she was re-commissioned after retrofits. The Ajax worked up at Scapa Flow in Scotland with the Home Fleet during November and by the end of December joined Force Q at Bone, Algeria on convoy duty. It was while on convoy duty that the Ajax was disabled by a bomb on January 1, 1943 while still at Bone Harbour.

Throughout his fifteen year career with the Royal Navy Jack served many other ships. After his training was complete on HMS Fisgard he served Victory, Repulse, Sandhurst, Valiant and many more. HMS Ajax was his last active ship and he completed his naval career in 1944 serving the shore establishment HMS Pembroke.
John Edward Styles died in 1960 at the age of 51.

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