Douglas Haggis

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: London Great Tower Street branch

Died: 25 August 1944

Douglas Charles Haggis was born on 28 February 1919, the son of Charles Bertram and Laura Ellen Haggis. He was educated at Simon Langton Boys' School, Canterbury. He joined the staff of National Provincial Bank straight from school, with his uncle Mr Partridge, who was an accountant with the bank, introducing him. Haggis joined the bank as a probationer in September 1935 at the bank's London City Office. He was promoted to clerk in January 1938, and in March 1939 moved to London Great Tower Street branch.

On the outbreak of war in 1939 Haggis left the bank to go on war service, joining the Royal Engineers as a Sapper. He became seriously ill not long after joining up and spent many weeks in hospital. Upon recovery, he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he very quickly completed his pilot training, then spent a year in the USA as an instructor. He was then posted to bombing operations in the UK, reaching the rank of Flight Lieutenant. 

On 25 August 1944, when returning from a special mission over France, the aircraft which Flight Lieutenant Haggis was piloting was hit by flak and started to lose height over the North Sea. He had to choose whether to bring the aircraft down onto the seaside town of Felixstowe or divert into the sea, and he chose to crash into the sea, potentially saving many lives. He and the six members of his crew were killed in the crash. He was 25 years old.