Currie, Harry Lionel

Major Harry Lionel Currie (known as Lionel)

Bank staff magazine - photo courtesy of Rodney Sweetnam

Currie was born at Lisnaskea on 16th February 1908 to James Currie, Branch Bank Manager and Kate Amelia Currie nee White. 

In 1911 Harry (3) lived at house 99, Main Street, Lisnaskea with his parents and 2 brothers; Henry Eric John (11) and Albert Victor (2). There were 2 servants also living in the property; Eliza Jane Elliott and Emma Creighton. The property was the bank house.

Ulster Bank branch & house, Lisnaskea

courtesy https://www.archiseek.com/2011/1872-ulster-bank-lisnaskea-co-fermanagh/

Following his education at RBAI (INST), Currie joined the Ulster Bank in 1927 at Downpatrick branch where his late father, James Currie was then manager. A transfer followed in 1930 to Donaghadee. 

The Northern Whig of 2nd May 1932 reports that H Currie, Ulster Bank, Donaghadee was playing golf in a stroke competition. 

In 1936 Currie was transferred to Newtownards branch. Whilst there, in 1939, he volunteered and enlisted into the Territorial Army with the Royal Artillery as a Gunner. Three weeks after the Allied withdrawal from Dunkirk he came back to England and received his Commission. He served in the Western Desert and saw four years service there.

The website Forces War Records details a H L Currie who served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1940.

The Belfast Telegraph of 12th September 1945 reports on both Harry and his brother, Albert:

• Capt H L Currie, Royal Artillery was in the 8th Army in North Africa and is now with the British Army of the Rhine in Belgium.
  
  
• Gunner A V Currie, Hong Kong Volunteer Corps was a Prisoner of War in Osaka, Japan and is now safe in allied hands and on his way home via Melbourne. 

Shortly after D-Day in 1944, Currie returned to France and saw further service there and in Belgium and Germany.

Following demobilisation in 1946, Currie returned to the bank at Newtownhamilton. Promotion to Manager at Newtownhamilton came in 1960. Further transfers followed to Tullamore (1962) and to Enniskillen (1964) branches.

In 1953 he married Miss Nancy Neill of Tyrella, Co Down. They had 3 children; Jocelyn, Sackville and Tyrone.

The Belfast Telegraph of 9th November 1968 carried a report that mentioned Harry Currie, Ulster Bank, Enniskillen giving evidence in a fraud trial.

Currie retired on 30th June 1972. He died in 1997.