John Mees

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: Chelsea branch

Died: 17 January 1942

John Ernest Mees was born on 20 September 1916, the son of Ernest Edwin and Mabel Jessie Mees. He was educated at St Pauls School in West Kensington, London, where he was a member of the operatic society. He joined the staff of National Provincial Bank as a probationer in its head office Advance Department in January 1935. He was promoted to junior clerk in April 1935. In 1936 Mees moved to a new branch, and he was promoted to clerk in 1937. He moved to Chelsea branch in 1939.

In September 1939, Mees left the bank to go on war service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. On 17 January 1942, Lieutenant Mees was serving on board HMS Matabele when the ship was struck by a U-boat off the coast of Murmansk, Russia. Almost all of the 238 men on board, including Lieutenant Mees, were killed. He was 25 years old.