Trooper Victor Kensett Styles
I received a note recently from Vic Styles, a nephew of Victor Kensett Styles. Trooper Victor Styles, Royal Armoured Corps (RAC), was captured in North Africa and interned at P.G. 52 Pian de Coreglia (Chiavari).
“Like a lot of servicemen, he did not talk about his activities in Italy—we only got snippets of information,” Vic wrote.
“He was offered a commission, and later he resigned and went into teaching.
“He did not trust any politicians or whizz kid bosses. He was a very good manager in the flats where he lived in West Hampstead London NW6. He coached the tenants to buy their flats through the legal jargon. He was extremely clever in administration and with his hands.
“In the 1950’s my father fell out with him about a car deal, and they broke contact with each other. So I got info—but not much—second hand.
“Victor complained that when working with the S.O.E. [Special Operations Executive] he was never paid because he officially had been in a POW camp.
“He married twice and was divorced. He had no children.”
Victor was recommended for a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his acts, but he never got it because his file was kept secret for 85 years under the Official Secrets Act.
Victor was honored with an Italian Star in 2007, and Vic feels he should also be recognized with an Italian Garibaldi Medal for his work with the Italian partisans.
“In 2001, I applied to open his file,” Vic wrote. “They agreed, and that’s what you see on this report.”
Camp 59 Survivors 