Douglas Gates

Bank: National Provincial Bank of England

Place of work: London Lincoln's Inn branch

Died: 1 October 1915

Douglas Leslie Gates was born on 21 March 1892, the son of Edward Gates, a steamship agent, and his wife Mary. He was educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe.

Gates' mother had a cousin who was a bank manager, working for National Provincial Bank of England. It was possibly through this family connection that Gates secured an apprenticeship with the bank, starting work at its London Sloane Street branch in January 1909, when he was 16 years old. After completing his apprenticeship three years later he moved to London Lincoln's Inn branch as a clerk. He was a member of the bank's staff sports club.

Gates joined the army in 1914, initially as a Private in the London Regiment. He was later commissioned, and by the time of his death the following year was a Second Lieutenant in the Suffolk Regiment. He died in France on 1 October 1915. He was 23 years old.

Douglas Gates is commemorated on a bank war memorial held at NatWest Group Archives.