James Somerville

Bank: Commercial Bank of Scotland

Place of work: Edinburgh Morningside branch

Died: 1 October 1939

James Alexander Brownlie Somerville, known as Hamish, was born in Rosskeen, Ross and Cromarty in 1913, the son of James Alexander and Ann MacDonald Somerville. He worked for Commercial Bank of Scotland. Outside work he was a member of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, commissioned as a Pilot Officer in February 1937 and promoted to Flying Officer in August 1938. 

When the Second World War broke out in 1939 Somerville left his job at the bank's Edinburgh Morningside branch to go on active service. He was killed in an accident at Grangemouth airfield on 1 October 1939 when, shortly after landing his Spitfire, another Spitfire landed on top of him. Flying Officer Somerville was 26 years old and left a widow, Margaret, whom he had married earlier that year.

James Somerville is commemorated on a bank war memorial at Gogarburn campus, Edinburgh.