James Johnston

Bank: Commercial Bank of Scotland    

Place of work: Edinburgh Grassmarket branch

Died: 3 April 1917

James Valentine Johnston was born in the United States of America in about 1895, the third son of the Reverend James Valentine Johnston and his wife Mary. He grew up in Scotland, and in May 1910 went to work for Commercial Bank of Scotland.

During the First World War Johnston left his job as an apprentice at the bank's Edinburgh Grassmarket branch to join the army, and by 1917 he was a Second Lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry. He was killed in action in France on 3 April 1917. He was 22 years old.

James Johnston is commemorated on a bank war memorial at 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, where his surname is spelt Johnstone.