Michael Meatyard

Bank: Westminster Bank

Place of work: Hove Church Road branch

Died: 7 May 1943

Michael James Meatyard was born on 6 July 1923, the son of Edward and Violet Irene Joan Meatyard. He was educated at Worthing High School.

In February 1940 he joined the temporary wartime staff of Westminster Bank at its Hove Church Road branch. He later left the bank to go on war service, completing his air navigator training in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in March 1943.

On 6 May 1943 he was part of the crew of a Wellington bomber which took off from RAF North Luffington on a night-time navigational training flight. While flying through low cloud the plane crashed onto high ground, killing all seven men on board. Pilot Officer Meatyard was 19 years old.