Heber Sims

Bank: National Provincial Bank of England

Place of work: Southampton branch

Died: 1 September 1918

Heber Harold Sims was born on 9 October 1894, the son of a church organ builder and his wife. He was educated at a private school in Southampton and then at Portsmouth Grammar School.

In September 1912, when he was 17 years old, Sims went to work for National Provincial Bank of England as an apprentice at its Brighton branch. He moved to Southampton branch in October 1913. A staff report from his time there said he was 'very steady and conscientious. Conduct exemplary. Good abilities and very reliable in his work and is now quite a useful officer'. He was promoted to a clerkship at Southampton in October 1915.

During the First World War Sims left the bank to join the army, and by 1918 he was a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers, on active service in France. He died there on 1 September 1918 of wounds received in action. He was 23 years old.