Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Royal Flying Corps D.C.M. pair awarded to Air Mechanic J. E. Prance, for gallantry at Neuve Chappelle, later wounded and shot down by Baron von Richthofen
Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (2008 2/Cl. Air Mech, R.F.C.); 1914-15 Star (2008 2.A.M., R.F.C.) extremely fine (2)

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June, 1915, “For gallant conduct and valuable services on the night of 10th-11th March 1915 in assisting to repair one of our aeroplanes which had been forced to descend near the firing line whilst being heavily shelled by the enemy. The machine was enabled to fly away by the following morning.”
Prance’s D.C.M. is amongst the first five such awards won by the Royal Flying Corps, all won in two separate incidents, for similar services, on the night of 10th-11th March, 1915. Prance’s action is described and illustrated in ‘Deeds that thrill the Empire’ (p. 167).
John Edward Prance was born at Bideford, North Devon, his father being the Harbour Master there. He attested as 2nd class Aircraftsman in the Royal Flying Corps Military Wing on 31 October, 1914, and at the time of winning the D.C.M. was serving with 9 Squadron based at St. Omer. He was promoted to Corporal 1 July, 1915, and to Sergeant 1 December, 1915. After training as an Observer he was appointed Flight Sergeant 1 April, 1916.
On 4 March, 1917, on loan from 16 Squadron to 2 Squadron, he was Observer in a Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter, piloted by Lieutenant J. B. E. Crosbee, when they were attacked by Baron von Richthofen in a Halberstadt scout plane. After a brief engagement, Prance received bullet wounds in the leg and Crosbee crash-landed the plane one kilometre north of Loos, becoming the Red Baron’s 23rd victim. Prance was later commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps and took up his duties as an instructor at Reading.
In June 1918, Prance was urgently summoned home to face the shattering news that his baby daughter, born earlier that year, had died. Powerfully built and only 33 years old, he immediately complained of feeling unwell and was ordered to bed with a raging high fever and severe tonsilitis, unable even to attend his daughter’s funeral. On the following day, his fever increased and he died - one of the victims of the flu epidemic which was to sweep around the world killing tens of millions - many more than those who died in the war itself.