Harold Panniers

Bank: Westminster Bank

Place of work: Head Office, London

Died: 19 May 1943

Harold John Panniers was born on 7 February 1922, the son of Ronald Martin and Edith Panniers. He was educated at Whitgift Middle School, Croydon, where he was a prize-winning and record-breaking sprinter. He also played fife in the school's cadet band, and was a member of the school orchestra. 

Panniers joined the staff of Westminster Bank in December 1938, originally at London Haymarket branch. In April 1939 he transferred to the bank's London Lothbury office. Around the same time, he joined the Royal Corps of Signals territorials. He was also a member of the bank's staff sports club.

He was called up for active service at the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, and was promoted to Sergeant in November that year. He was due to have been commissioned in September 1941, but this was prevented by the fall of Singapore, during which he was reported missing. In 1945 the War Office received word that he had died of malaria in a prisoner of war camp two years earlier, on 19 May 1943. He was 21 years old.