John Andrews

Bank: Westminster Bank

Place of work: Wallingford branch

Died: 1 March 1945

John Sidney Andrews was born on 8 December 1898, the son of Holland and Mary Andrews. He joined the staff of London County & Westminster Bank at its Newbury branch on his 17th birthday, 8 December 1915. His older brother, Charles, already worked for the same bank. 

During the First World War Andrews trained and served as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps. He returned to the bank at the end of the war, and was posted to Reading branch. In 1925 he was married, to Irene Margaret Cooke. In 1933 he was promoted to first clerk at Wallingford branch, by which time the bank's name had been shortened to Westminster Bank.  

As war loomed in 1939 Andrews renewed his pilot's qualification, and despite being over the normal age for such service, secured the bank's blessing to volunteer for the RAF. He left the bank in August 1940, when he was 41. The following year he became a test pilot, and over the next four years tested a huge number of planes. He was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1944. 

Flight Lieutenant Andrews was killed on 1 March 1945 when the Spitfire he was testing crashed. He was 46 years old and left a widow, Irene, and one son. The bank's staff magazine also extended condolences to his brother Charles, who by that time was manager of the bank's Sunningdale branch.