David Cant

Bank: The Royal Bank of Scotland

Place of work:  Perth branch

Died: 14 July 1915

David Shand Cant was born in Melrose on 24 August 1895, the only son of Elizabeth Brown Brough Cant. He grew up in Perth, and was educated at the Southern District School, where his grandfather had formerly been headmaster, and at Perth Academy. In December 1911, when he was 16, he went to work for the Royal Bank of Scotland as an apprentice at its Perth branch.

In September 1914 Cant joined the army, serving as a Private in the Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment). He left Britain with his battalion in May 1915, sailing for Greece on board the Empress of Britain. The battalion crossed to Gallipoli in June 1915. On about 13 July 1915 he was one of several men instructed to fall back from the trench they had been defending. As they did so, Cant paused to tend to a wounded man and he was struck by a bullet behind the ear. His comrades did not immediately think he was severely wounded, but he later (on 14 July 1915) died of his injuries. He was 19 years old.

David Cant is commemorated on a bank war memorial at 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh.