Philip Compton

Bank: Westminster Bank

Place of work: Head Office, London

Died: 9 November 1942

Philip Arthur Compton was born on 28 September 1916, the son of Frederick Arthur Compton, a clerk in Westminster Bank, and his wife Florence Daisy. Florence died before Philip was two years old, and Frederick was remarried in 1920, to Dora Edith Kennett. Philip was educated at St Dunstan's in West Worthing and Harlow College. 

In September 1935 Compton followed in his father's footsteps by joining the staff of Westminster Bank, working initially at Paddington and Kensington High Street branches before being transferred to the bank's head office staff department in November 1937. He was also a member of the bank's staff sports club.

As war loomed in 1939 Compton volunteered for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. He was called up for active service at the outbreak of war in September, and after a short period of training spent several months at sea before being posted to West Africa. He spent some time at home in England in autumn 1941, after which he was attached to the Minesweeping Service.  

Paymaster Lieutenant Compton was killed on 9 November 1942, when the minesweeper on which he was serving, HMS Cromer, was sunk in the Mediterranean. He was 26 years old. His obituary in the bank's staff magazine remarked, 'by his untimely death we have been deprived of a personal friend to whom we were sincerely attached and whose agreeable personality and cheerful nature endeared him to all with whom he came in contact.'