Four: Police Constable W. J. Prout, Metropolitan Police, who was awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for rescuing a drowning woman from the River Thames in 1931, and subsequently received a Royal Humane Society Parchment Testimonial

Defence Medal, with Home Secretary’s enclosure, in card box of issue addressed to ‘Mr. W. J. Prout, 14, Dukes Avenue, Kingston, Surrey’; Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued, in card box of issue; Police L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R. (Const. William J. Prout) in named card box of issue; Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (successful) (Police Constable William J. Prout. 19th. Sept. 1931.) with integral top riband bar, in Elkington, London, case of issue; together with the recipient’s St. John Ambulance Association Re-Examination small bronze medallion, the reverse engraved ‘443107 William J. Prout’, in named card box of issue; and a silver St. John Ambulance Association sew-on badge, extremely fine (6) £200-£240

William John Prout was born at Medrose, Cornwall, on 12 February 1906, and joined the Metropolitan Police on 21 February 1927. He served with ‘V’ Division, and was awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal (R.H.S. Case no. 51.034) for saving the life of a drowning woman from the River Thames at Twickenham on 19 September 1931:
‘For courage and devotion to duty, whilst in plain clothes, in assisting to rescue Violet Rayent, aged 21, who had been thrown into the river by the capsizing of a canoe at 8:20 p.m. Police Constable Prout, taking off his jacket, dived in and swam to her. In spite of her struggles he held her up until she was picked up by a skiff.’

Prout was subsequently awarded a Testimonial on Parchment by the Royal Humane Society (R.H.S. Case no. 57912) for rescuing a child from drowning from the River Thames at River Lane, Richmond, on 18 August 1943:
‘Hearing shouts for help by Audrey Archer, aged 10, who was bathing in the river Thames near River Lane, Police Constable Prout doffed his tunic and helmet, jumped into the water, and brought her safely to the bank.’

Prout was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 3 January 1952, and resigned to pension on 18 October 1953. He died in Truro, Cornwall, on 17 September 1984.

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