Eric Wingate

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: London Paddington branch

Died: 31 May 1945

Eric Hubert Wingate was born on 28 February 1906, the son of Silvester Thomas Wingate and Alice Eliza Wingate. He was educated at Sir George Monoux Grammar School, Walthamstow.

In September 1922 Wingate joined the staff of National Provincial Bank as a probationer at its London Princes Street office. In April 1925 he was promoted to clerk and moved to the bank's Overseas branch, which was also in the Princes Street building. In 1932 he married his fiancée, Eileen, and moved to 116 Fenchurch Street branch. Five years later he moved to Paddington branch. 

In December 1941 Wingate left his job at the bank to join the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He served in the Faroe Islands and in March 1944 was posted to India. On 31 May 1945, when he was serving as the Commanding Officer of his station in Chennai, Squadron Leader Eric Wingate died suddenly of pneumonia. He was buried with full military honours. He was 39 years old and left his widow, Eileen, and their young children. In a letter to Eileen Wingate the Chaplain for his squadron wrote, 'it would be hard to imagine him as having an enemy in the world'.