Reproduced from the Suffolk Chronicle of 20th August 1937
A RETIRING HERO
Bramford Boy Rescues Girl and Goes Home
Bathers at a point in the River Gipping near Bramford Bridge on Wednesday afternoon, witnessed a plucky rescue by a fourteen-year-old Bramford lad when a girl swimmer got into difficulties.
The boy, Leslie Drane, of 86, Council Houses, New Road, Bramford, plunged fully clothed, to the rescue of Gwendoline Ethel Gostling, aged twelve, who, having swum once from bank to bank apparently became frightened on the return.
Drane, without any hesitation, not even stopping to discard his heavy boots or his coat, and having brought the girl safely to shore, disappeared in the direction of his home as quickly as possible, and without speaking to any of the witnesses of his courageous action. The girl was taken to her home close by in the car of a kindly passer-by, and apparently little worse for her adventure.
Leslie was born on the 7th of September 1923 the son of Ernest and Emma Drane. “86 Council Houses, New Road, Bramford” – eventually became 78 Fitzgerald Road where Leslie lived for most of his life after his parents died. Leslie worked as an “Iron Fettler” before serving in the Second World War. He enlisted at Chichester on the 3rd December 1943 and was a Pioneer in the Royal Engineers. Leslie died on the 14th of November 2009.
