Richard Gemmell

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: North Finchley branch

Died: 5 March 1943

Richard Francis Gemmell was born on 4 September 1918, the son of Francis John and Daisy Gemmell. He was educated at Hertford Grammar School before joining the staff of National Provincial Bank as a probationer at its North Finchley branch in February 1936. He was promoted to junior clerk in May 1936 and to clerk in July 1938. He was known for his cheerfulness and happy disposition.

In July 1939 Gemmell left the bank to go on military service. He commissioned into the Royal Artillery in December 1939 and travelled to France with the British Expeditionary Force. He was involved in the evacuation from Dunkirk in May-June 1940. On his return to England he was posted to a Mobile Anti-Aircraft Defence Unit, with which he served during the Battle of Britain. 

In July 1941 Lieutenant Gemmell was posted to the Far East. He was taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore in February 1942. In early March 1943 he was among prisoners of war loaded onto a Japanese prisoner of war transport ship at Rabaul, New Britain. Contact with the vessel was lost and nothing further was heard; Lieutenant Gemmell, along with everyone else on board, was presumed to have been lost on or shortly after 5 March 1943. He was 26 years old.