Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Clara Jane Sharpe, born 11th January 1879 in Heather, Leicestershire. Sydney Herbert was born in the 1st quarter of 1896 in Heather and was baptised on the 29th March 1896 in the Parish Church, Heather. In March 1901 Sydney was residing at Fernleigh, Heather, this being the family home of his maternal Grandparents, Josiah (Joseph) Sharpe, a shoemaker, born in the 3rd quarter of 1848 in Heather and his wife Georgina Julia Sharpe (nee Kelham, married in the 1st quarter of 1873 in the Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire district), a dressmaker, born 1853 in Markfield, Leicestershire together with their children, John William, a bricklayer’s labourer, born in the 1st quarter of 1881, George Frederick, a butcher’s apprentice, born in the 2nd quarter of 1883 and their married daughter Edith Annie Hall, born in the 1st quarter of 1877, the latter three children were all born in Heather, Edith’s husband Frederick William Hall, a commercial clerk, born in the 4th quarter of 1876 in Macclesfield, Cheshire and their daughter Edith Annie Hall, born in the 3rd quarter of 1900 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, also residing with the family was Sydney’s widowed Maternal Great Grandmother Eliza Kelham, born 1824 in Hampshire. In the 3rd quarter of 1904 in the Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire district, Sydney’s mother married John Eldridge Forryan. In April 1911 Sydney was employed as a domestic gardener and was residing as a boarder at 233 Knighton Church Road, Leicester, this being the family home of his step father John Forryan, a domestic chauffeur, born 1878 in Oadby, Leicestershire, his mother and half blood sibling Reginald Forryan, born 1905 in Leicester.
The Brigade of Guards service records all exist, but were deposited in 2018 with the Ministry of Defence in Glasgow, the exception being the Scots Guards, whose service records are now in the possession of the Trustees of the Scots Guards Charitable Trust, and are free to access. The remainder of the Foot Guards records are available at the current cost of £30.00 per inquiry (2019). As a consequence all that is known of Sydney from military documents that are available in the public domain is that he enlisted into the Brigade of Guards on the 22nd January 1914 in Leicester, and upon the completion of his training was posted from the Guards Depot as a Private to the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, upon the outbreak of war he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 21st August 1914. He was killed in action on the 1st November 1914 near Rentel. He was awarded the 1914 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 1 Nov-14 – 17 Nov-14 – Throughout this period innumerable attacks and demonstrations were made against the line, and a great deal of annoyance and loss was caused by the enemy’s snipers and rifle bombs, as well as by their artillery. The position was improved from day to day, elaborate rifle pits and communication trenches were constructed, wire entanglements and -?- obstacles erected and so forth. On the other hand the enemy constantly sapped closer and closer to us, and in places their trenches were eventually -?- 20 yards from our own. Much discomfort was caused by the wet especially during the latter part, and many of the trenches became waterlogged. The composition of the line was frequently altered the troops on either flank 3rd Battalion being moved repeatedly, but the line held by this Battalion remained unaltered throughout this period. (October 26th to November 17th).
From October 30th, when the Brigade was ordered to go with 2 Battalions (IRISH GUARDS and 2nd GRENADIER GUARDS) to take over another section of the line near KLEIN ZILLEBEKE, the remainder of the original Brigade section devolved upon Colonel PERCURA and from that date was known as Colonel PERCURA’s Section. This section was held consistently by the 2nd and 3rd Battalions COLDSTREAM GUARDS and portions of other units came temporarily under Colonel PERCURA’s command, and from November 5th the remnants of the 1st Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS were attached consisting of about 150 N.C.O’s and men but without officers though Captain EDWARDS and 2nd Lieutenant’s McNEILE and TOLLEMACHE joined them from England a few days later.
The casualties of the Battalion from October 25th to November 17th were;
Officers:- 2 killed. 2nd Lieutenant’s R. C. GRAVES SAWLE and N. W. H. LEGGE BOURKE.
5 wounded:- Captain ??ORDY, Lieutenant’s A. LEIGH BENNILL and H. C. LOYD, 2nd Lieutenant’s Hon. B. WINN and W. C. SHAWS-?-.
Other Ranks:- Killed and died from wounds 64. Wounded 151. Missing 1.
During this period the Battalion also lost 2 officers sick Lieutenant and Adjutant A. C. DAWNAY and Lieutenant Lord PETRE and 1 accidentally injured 2nd Lieutenant Viscount MARCHAM, but against this 1 officer Lieutenant H.G. ROOKE joined from England.
On Friday December 4th 1914 The Leicester Journal published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL CASUALTIES.” -THE ROLL OF HONOUR. – Private Sydney Herbert Sharp, 2nd Coldstream Guards, is reported killed in action on November 1st. He was in the Leicestershire Territorial’s for a year, and joined the Guards in January last. His father is Mr. Josiah Sharpe, of Elm Bank, Station-road, Heather.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Article in Coalville Times, Friday November 27th, 1914:

HEATHER SOLDIER KILLED IN ACTION

News has been received of the death of Private Sydney Herbert Sharpe, a Heather man, belonging to the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, which he joined last January, after being in the Leicestershire Territorials for a year. He went to the front soon after the commencement of the war and was in the trenches most of the time till he was killed in action at Rentoul, Belgium, on November 1st. The deceased, who is a son of Mr Josiah Sharpe, of Elm Bark, Station Road, Heather, was only 18 years of age when he joined the colours.

Research undertaken and submitted (including photograph from the Coalville Times) by Andy Murby, September, 2017.