William Leach

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: Stroud branch

Died: 18 April 1943

William Herbert Leach was born on 3 November 1920, the son of Herbert Leach. He was educated at Katharine, Lady Berkley's Grammar School, Wotton-under-Edge, where he was captain of the school and a member of the cricket and football teams. He joined the staff of National Provincial Bank Ltd as a probationer at its Old Bank, Bath branch in October 1938. He was promoted to junior clerk in 1939 before moving to Stroud branch. He was well liked by all his colleagues.

In September 1939, Leach left the bank to go on military service, serving with the North Somerset Yeomanry and later the Royal Corps of Signals. He served in the Middle East and then in North Africa, where he served as a dispatch rider. On 18 April 1943, Signalman Leach was killed in action in North Africa. He was 22 years old.