Leslie Jeffers

Leslie Jeffers was the son of a London seaman and was only four when his father lost his life. Jeffers senior was aboard HMS Hermes, sailing in the Straits of Dover during World War I in 1914, when she was hit by a submarine from a German U-Boat, just weeks into the hostilities.

Leslie Jeffers was a sergeant in the Metropolitan Police force and was a Scotland Yard physical training instructor. He was coach to the Great Britain wrestling team after the war, and in the early days of 1950s British television commentated on wresting for the BBC. During World War II, he served as a Wellington Bomber flight navigator on coastal patrols around the Mediterranean and North Africa.

Jeffers progressed from gymnastics as a youngster in Godolming, Surrey, to wrestling, and went on to win five British titles. He was the middleweight champion in 1936-37, and 1939, and light-heavyweight champion in 1940-41. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Jeffers reached the middleweight third round after a shock win over Canada’s Terry Evans but was then eliminated by the eventual gold medallist Émile Poilvé of France. Such was the enormity of Jeffers win over Evans, it was reported back in Britain that he had won the goldmedal and telegrams of congratulations were erroneously dispatched. At the 1938 British Empire Games, Jeffers won the middleweight bronze medal. After retiring from the police, Jeffers became secretary of the Hendon Golf Club in North London.