Northern Banking Co. Limited - 1824 Centenary Volume 1924

This book provided the initial source material for the Northern Bank Great War records in this website.  It was compiled and written by Eric Darley Hill.

The following section of text is taken from page 203 of the Northern Bank Centenary Volume 1924 as it best describes those men who volunteered for war.

War Record

W

e have included in this volume a reproduction of the War Memorial, which hangs in the hall of the cash office at Head Office. A perusal of the record of those who served will, we feel confident, engender a feeling of pride in the part the officials of the Bank took in the operations of the Great War. Many banks have published separate war volumes recording the service of the members of their staffs. In the case of kindred institutions across the water the numbers of those who so served run into figures larger perhaps by comparison than those we shew. But it must be remembered that, with very few exceptions, every man who went from an Irish bank was a volunteer. In the case of the Northern Bank there was but one such exception – William Pattenden, Head Office porter, a reservist of the Royal Sussex Regiment. He was called up on the outbreak of war and went with the British Expeditionary Force, only to fall a few days after landing – the first casualty we had to record. Ninety-nine officials in all, or 25 per cent. of staff, volunteered; seven of the number were rejected on medical examination, and, of the remainder, fifteen made the supreme sacrifice. We honour the names of those who volunteered, and, we hold in reverence the memory of those who fell, - many, alas, of whom were but lads on the threshold of life.

My personal copy was originally presented with compliments to 'Mrs E R Wisnom' (hand-written). Others have a branch name in them or have been left blank. A few books come on sale in auctions or bookshops. Many have been defaced with the colour prints removed and framed. As of 2013 the bank still held unissued, mint copies in their archives.