John Saunders

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: Newton Abbot branch

Died: 15 August 1944

John Walter Saunders was born on 28 February 1922, the son of Walter and Florence Saunders. He was educated at Torquay Grammar School. He joined the staff of National Provincial Bank as a probationer at Newton Abbot branch in August 1939 and was promoted to junior clerk a few months later.

In June 1941 he left the bank to go on military service, joining the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. He served with the Fleet Air Arm in East Africa, West Africa and Norway. Sub-Lieutenant Saunders was killed on 15 August 1944, while serving on board the aircraft carrier HMS Indefatigable, when a landing plane bounced over the barrier, crashing into personnel on deck. He was 22 years old and left a widow, Dorothy, whom he had married earlier that year.