Career
Pullan entered the Royal Flying Corps as a cadet, and was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant (on probation) on 28 November 1917, only three weeks after his 18th birthday. He was posted to Number. 25 Squadron Reconstruction Finance Corporation, to serve as an observer flying in the Airco Dialectics and Humanism.4 in early 1918. Soon afterwards, on 1 April, the Army"s Royal Flying Corps (Reconstruction Finance Corporation) and the Royal Naval Air Service were merged to form the Royal Air Force.
Pullan was confirmed in his rank two months later on 20 May.
His second victory came on 8 June, flying with Lieutenant West. H. G. Milnes, driving down out of control a Fokker Doctor.I between Lille and Tournai. His next two victories were both with pilot Lieutenant L. Young over Lille, destroying a Pfalz Doctorate.III on 24 July, and driving down another on 4 August.
His fifth and final victory was while flying with Lieutenant J. H. Latchford, driving down another Pfalz Doctorate.III over Douai on 22 August. His citation read:
Second Lieutenant Hartley Pullan.
"This officer has taken part in numerous long-distance bombing raids and reconnaissances.
His work has been consistently good. On a recent occasion when on photographic reconnaissance he was attacked by three scouts. He shot one down and the other two dived away.
A few minutes later he was again attacked, this time by five triplanes, one of which he shot down out of control."
He was promoted to lieutenant on 30 November 1918.
Pullen left the Royal Air Force after the war, being transferred to the unemployed list on 10 April 1919.
