The British War Medal awarded to Second Lieutenant W. B. ‘Bert’ Protheroe, 15th (Service) Battalion (Camarthenshire), Welsh Regiment and Royal Flying Corps, a R.E.8 Observer who served with 53 Squadron, and who was shot down and killed by the German pilot Kurt Wittekind of Jasta 28, being his 2nd Victory, 12 June 1917

British War Medal 1914-20 (Lieut. W. B. Protheroe.) very fine (lot) £160-£200

William Bertram Protheroe was born in Glanamman, Carmarthenshire, Wales in 1891, and was the son of Mr and Mrs W. H. Protheroe. Soon after William was born, the family moved to Delfan, Gilbert Crescent, Llanelli. Protheroe was educated at the Llanelli County School, employed by Thomas & Clement as an Engineering apprentice prior to the war, and was a highly regarded rugby player. He enlisted in the Welsh Field Company, Royal Engineers (T.F.) in August 1914. Protheroe was commissioned in the 15th (Service) Battalion (Carmathenshire), Welsh Regiment in April 1915. He served with the Battalion in the French theatre of war from 4 December 1915. Protheroe transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, in January 1917, and carried out training as an Observer. He was posted for operational flying as a Flying Officer, Observer to 53 Squadron (R.E.8’s) in France, in March 1917. Second Lieutenant Protheroe was killed in action in aerial combat, whilst flying with Second Lieutenant W. Turnbull as his pilot, 12 June 1917. On the latter date they had been flying on a photo reconnaissance when they were shot down in flames by Vzfw. Kurt Wittekind of Jasta 28. The were his 2nd ‘victory’.

Lieutenant Protheroe is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial, the Llanelli R.F.C. War Memorial and the Llanelli (Greenfield Chapel) Memorial.
Sold with watercolour caricature, of recipient titled ‘Lieut. Protheroe 15 Welch Regiment’, by Alfred Bugby, dated 1915, framed and glazed; and Pair of Binoculars, The Marlborough, in leather carrying case, the outside of which is annotated in pen ‘W.B.P.’ and ‘Lieut. W. B. Protheroe 15th S. Battn. Welch Regt.’; and extensive copied research, including a photographic image of recipient in uniform.