John Sulman

Bank: Coutts & Co

Place of work: London Strand office

Died: 23 November 1941

John Edward Sulman was born on 12 November 1916, the son of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Edward Sulman MC and his wife Muriel Winifred. He worked for Coutts & Co, London.

At the outbreak of the Second World War Sulman left the bank to serve as a Sergeant Pilot in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve which he had joined in December 1938. In June 1940, on completion of his flying training, he was granted a commission and posted to 607 Fighter Squadron where he took part in operations during the Battle of Britain. In 1941 after a few months spent as a Flying Instructor in an operational training unit he rejoined his old Squadron which was engaged on low-level dive bombing attacks on the French coast. In November 1941 he was posted to Egypt and joined 238 Squadron in the Western Desert which at that time was co-operating with the Army for the relief of Tobruk. 

He had only been with the Squadron a few weeks when he was reported missing over Cyrenaica and in March 1942 Flying Officer Sulman was officially reported killed in action with his date of death recorded as 23 November 1941. He was 25 years old.

John Sulman is commemorated on a bank memorial at Coutts & Co, London 440 Strand.