Eric Cole

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: Cosham branch

Died: 8 November 1939

Eric James Cole was born on 28 December 1917, the son of Ambrose and Edith Cole. He was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School. He joined the staff of National Provincial Bank as a probationer at Cosham branch in August 1935. He was promoted to junior clerk in November 1935 and to clerk in January 1938.

Cole was one of the first members of staff of National Provincial Bank to join the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve after it was formed in the late 1930s to support RAF readiness for war. He was called up for active service at the outbreak of war in September 1939, and was killed not long afterwards, on 8 November 1939, when his Spitfire crashed near Basildon while circling a beacon at night. Sergeant Cole was the first member of the staff of National Provincial Bank to be killed in the Second World War; he was 21 years old.