Re ''Bravery in the surf brings rare honour'' (Leader, May 8).
My family knew many of the lifesavers of the 40s and 50s as we were the five Fuller girls - Helen, Veda, Noela, Ann and myself.
We "lived" on the beach all summer from early morning to almost dark in daylight saving - imagine that today!
What a wonderful place Cronulla was in those times - no worries children swimming in the surf as we knew about sharks and rips.
The only person I remember drowning was the wonderful Jim Peryman (pictured) who drowned whilst saving a young girl - he was being brought in on the reel but unfortunately he was caught in seaweed weighing him down while being reeled in.
Brian Keane and his brother lived next door to us in Woolooware Road for many years and Bobby Johnson and his brother also lived in the street - both champions.
My father Fred Fuller was a lifesaver when the Duke came to Cronulla and my mother was always telling us what a good looking man the Duke was!
Many great memories of those times and also the Cronulla rugby league field was diagonally across from our house so we were always at the matches. Most Sunday nights in winter a few of these guys would come over home, after the matches, and Mum would cook a huge pot of soup and we would then play cards until Dad would send them all home.
I now live in Tassie but hope my family have the courage to spread my ashes over the surf at Cronulla Beach.
Jenny Stanzel
