‘Hunt for picture of Potteries war hero’

I AM trying to find a name on the cenotaph and war memorials of a Stoke-ontrent soldier. His name was

Leslie L. Bullock, Army no. 14708061.

Leslie’s parents were mason Arthur Bullock (18881953) and Annie Proctor from Burslem. They married in Stoke-on-trent in 1906 and had three sons - Arthur, who worked in pottery, John W and Leslie.

Leslie joined the General Service Corps and volunteered for airborne troops. He successfully completed glider training and was posted to 2nd (Oban) Airlanding Anti-tank Battery (Royal Artillery) and took part in Operation Market Garden, near Arnhem.

His unit held out against overwhelming German supremacy for nine days, until they were ordered to withdraw over the river on September 25-26.

Leslie was killed on this night at the age of 18.

Of the 168 men who saw action from his unit, 29 were also killed – including 15 who have never been found or identified.

A few weeks later, Leslie’s body washed up in Maurik, the Netherlands. He was buried there in the general cemetery. Somehow he was known there as John Bullock.

His golden ring was transferred to English soldiers on July 1, 1945.

It is no longer known exactly in which grave Leslie is buried and there is a lack of clarity with the grave of another British soldier, W. Jeavons.

I am investigating the war victims in my area to give them a face again on my website.

I would love to find family members of Leslie, who hopefully have a picture of him, so he won’t be forgotten. My email address is r.velde@hetnet.nl.

RICHARD VAN DE VELDE NETHERLANDS