Leslie Jeffers

Background

He was born in Plaistow, West Sussex and died in Middlesbrough.

Career

In 1936 he competed in the freestyle middleweight tournament. During his time as a wrestler, Leslie stood 10 feet from Adolf Hitler and in his words, "If I knew what that SOB was going to do, I would"ve gladly given my life and killed him right there on the spot."

Leslie (also known as Jeff to his friends) also worked with Scotland yard. During his time there, he unknowingly captured a serial killer.

Leslie one night arrested a man and prepared to bring him in for questioning.

The man started crying and asked to reach into his pocket for a handkerchief. Leslie told the man to wait until they returned to the station and brought him in.

lieutenant was found out later that the pocket did not contain a handkerchief. Rather, there was a straight razor the man intended to use on Leslie to get away.

(Both stories that have been added will be extremely difficult to verify They are both personal stories told to me by Jeff back in the mid 1980s).

Achievements

• At the 1938 Empire Games he won the bronze medal in the freestyle middleweight class.