James Truman

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: Bromley branch

Died: 14 September 1944

James Anslow Truman was born on 16 September 1920, the son of Howard Kenneth and Gertrude Helen Truman. He was the youngest of 5 children and was educated at Dulwich College, where he played cricket and fives.

In July 1938 Truman joined the staff of National Provincial Bank as a probationer at its Bromley branch. He was promoted to junior clerk three months later. At the bank he continued to play cricket, both for his old school and for the bank's team. He also played fives on his school's alumni team. In his obituary a colleague described him as 'extremely capable, willing and well-liked by everyone'.

In May 1939 Truman joined the Royal Tank Regiment whilst continuing to work for the bank, and on the outbreak of war he left his job at the bank. He was commissioned in August 1942 and in 1943 he fought in the Tunisian Campaign with the 1st Army. He was then transferred to the 8th Army, which was in Italy. On 14 September 1944, two days before his 24th birthday, Lieutenant James Truman was hit by a shell splinter and killed instantly whilst his troop was supporting an infantry attack on the way to the Gothic Line. He was 23 years old.