Raymond Watts

Bank: National Provincial Bank

Place of work: Birmingham Aston Manor branch

Died: 3 January 1944

Raymond Philip Watts was born on 25 January 1918, the son of Frank Bell Watts and his wife. He was educated at Worcester County High School. He was an active member of various youth organisations. 

In February 1935 Watts joined the staff of National Provincial Bank as a probationer at its Sutton Coldfield branch. He was promoted to clerk in 1937 and moved to Birmingham Aston Manor branch in 1938.

In the run-up to war Watts joined a Territorial Army anti-aircraft unit, and on the outbreak of war, as a territorial, he was called up to fight. He helped to organise gun sites in the Midlands, and then transferred to the Royal Air Force. He was sent to train in Canada. On his return to England he flew in raids over Germany and in the first shuttle service raids over Germany and Italy to North Africa. On completion of his tour of bombing operations he volunteered for a pathfinder unit. On the night of 2 and 3 January 1944 his aircraft was lost on a raid over Berlin. His family heard no news for months, and it was later presumed by the Air Ministry that Pilot Officer Raymond Watts had lost his life on 3 January 1944, three weeks before his 26th birthday.