Peter Kirby

Bank: Coutts & Co

Place of work: London Strand office

Died: 25 January 1943

Peter Burrows Kirby was born in Edmonton, Essex in 1923, son of Sylvia and Bernard Burrows Kirby. He worked for Coutts & Co, London.

After a year's service in the Home Guard as a Corporal, Kirby left the bank to go on military service in 1941. He passed the special army entrance examination, enabling him to attend Birmingham University for 6 months. He then undertook an Officer Cadet Training Unit course at Newark and was granted a commission on 31 October 1942. After parachute training at Chesterfield and Ringwood he joined the 2nd Parachute Squadron of the Royal Engineers. Second Lieutenant Kirby was killed on 25 January 1943 when a faulty grenade exploded in his hands during training. He was 19 years old.

Peter Kirby is commemorated on a bank memorial at Coutts & Co, London 440 Strand.