Corporal John Mullaniff, known as Jack, served in No.4 Commando taking part in the Dieppe raid and the Normandy landings.

"The 'Chief' dies aged 88
Published: 09:45 Friday 18 January 2008
They called him "Chief" until the end.
Tributes have been paid to Preston's last chief fire officer who has died aged 88. Great-grandfather John Mullaniff, from Lostock Hall, who everybody knew as Jack, will be remembered as a remarkable man who excelled in both his firefighting and military careers. Preston born and bred, he was a boy soldier with the Lancashire Fusiliers before being one of the first to sign up for the elite 4 Army Commando.

He was involved in one of the most tragic battles of World War II, the Dieppe raid of August 1942, which resulted in 3,623 casualties as Allied troops landed at the enemy-occupied Channel port to be met with a barrage of German shellfire, as well as the June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion, landing on Sword Beach in Normandy. After the war Jack joined what was then Preston County Borough Fire Brigade and quickly climbed the ranks, becoming Preston's last chief officer before it was amalgamated into what is now known as Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. Retiring in 1977, he pursued his passion for mountaineering and was an avid reader of poetry. He even co-wrote a book on the history of Preston Fire Brigade.

Jack was a very active member of the Lostock Hall branch of the British Legion and attended monthly meetings for retired firefighters in Preston where they all called him "chief". His only son Michael, 65, said: "I'm proud of his achievements. He was an intelligent man, he really was, self taught, and proud of all his achievements. He was larger than life." Jack, whose wife Violet died in 1998, remained at their home in Fir Trees Crescent, Lostock Hall, until six months ago when he moved into nearby Coote Lane Residential Home. He caught pneumonia days after his 88th birthday and died peacefully in Chorley Hospital on January 9."