Frederick Buckland

Bank: Westminster Bank

Place of work: London Knightsbridge branch

Died: 11 February 1942

Frederick William Buckland was born on 4 June 1922. He joined the temporary wartime staff of Westminster Bank in February 1940, when he was 17 years old. He spent his first month at the bank’s machine accountancy school before being posted to London Knightsbridge branch in March 1940.

Buckland later left the bank to go on war service, training as a pilot in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He went on to become a pilot instructor, and on 11 February 1942 was on a training flight in a two-seater plane which collided in mid-air with another plane, also on a training flight. All four men in both planes were killed. Flying Officer Buckland was 19 years old.

Frederick Buckland is commemorated on a bank war memorial at NatWest London Knightsbridge branch.