My Father Leslie Pullan

Canvey Fire Brigade

Dad in the centre

My Father Leslie Pullan is centre front in the picture he was in the Canvey Fire Brigade in the 40s & 50s some of the stories he told me, they were called to other area’s because Canvey had a very large pump they attended the large fire a Purfleet, bombed during the war. They were also called to a German aircraft which was shot down on the south side of the Island, the plane was upside down with the crew hanging by their harnesses, they rushed over opened the cockpit door they jumped back when the pilot moved, but they were all dead.

He was called up by mistake in 1945 because his superior failed to fill in the appropriate forms he served in the RAF as ground crew at Petersfield and in Belgium, on demob he served  part time in Canvey Fire Brigade.

I use to follow him on a callout on my bicycle until a terrible fire on the Council Estate in which a young girl died, I did not go anymore after that.

Dad on the Left

He was also the grounds man for Canvey football club when it was at the Paddocks and later Park Lane for many years.

Comments about this page

  • I think the fire you are talking about was a in a house in North Ave. A lovely girl called MAGARET LING, she had an artificial tin leg bless her, she used to hop and skip along with us in play and was very popular in school, always smiling and laughing she came to camp with us once. 

    I can remember her funeral as I was in the RED CROSS and with the The St Georges Ambulance brigade we formed a guard of honor and held daffodils she was about 12 I think ? she is buried in St Katherine in the child’s plot the east side of the church yard her brother was Norman ling – she was my friend and I loved her very much, her death was in the Daily MIRROR and my parents hide it from me

    By Margaret (30/09/2013)
  • Hello I remember the girl who died in the fire as I was at school with her. Actually her surname was Ing and we knew her as Wendy although that could have been a nickname. Her brother James Ing was in my class at school and was quite a footballer. Wendy was a delightful girl. Regards Sparrow

    By sparrow (30/09/2013)
  • sorry Sparrow yes it was ING Magaret Jean Ing b 1942 dies 1954 Norman b 1932 James b 1944 ****** Opps old age

    By margaret (30/09/2013)
  • Hi Sylvia. I think I remember you from our teens. Did you live over Winter Gardens and knew Barbara Wooding and Diane Gifford?

     

    By Maureen Buckmaster (17/02/2016)
  • Hi,Sylvia.You probably do not remember me. I was friends with your sister Jean. We lived next to you at winter gardens,at the poultry farm.Love to know how your sister is. I remember your dads veg patch, his garden shed and the smell of mower oil. But most off all your dress,with blue roses all over it. Like a 50’s dress,we use to dress up in it.

    By yvonne willingham (02/07/2020)
  • What a sad story,I had the pleasure of playing football with Norman and Jim, for a number of years, but it is the first time I heard of this tragic story.

    By Mr BRIAN MACKNEY (01/10/2021)

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