William Pain

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: Deal branch

Died: 29 September 1940

William Alfred Pain, known to his friends as Bill, was born on 1 December 1900, the son of William Joseph Pain, master mariner, of Greenwich.  He was educated at Roan School, Greenwich and the City of London School. He joined the staff of National Provincial Bank as a clerk at its London Princes Street office in August 1921. He later worked as a clerk in the Chiswick, Barnes and Richmond branches and from December 1936 as a cashier at Deal branch. He was a prominent member of the bank rowing club of which he became secretary.

In September 1939 Pain joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and was called up for service early in December 1939 as a Sub-Lieutenant. He soon gained promotion to the rank of Lieutenant. He was killed whilst on active service on 29 September 1940 and was serving at the time of his death on HMS Sappho. He was 39 years old and left a widow, Nellie Mabel. His obituary in the bank’s staff magazine recalled that ‘his cheerful disposition and keen sense of humour endeared him to all.'