The Victoria Cross of a modest Bradford war hero is to go under the hammer at a London auction house.

Corporal Samuel Meekosha won the highest award for bravery for saving the lives of fellow soldiers on the World War One frontline in France.

Despite being proud of his Polish roots, he changed his name by deed poll to Ingham.

Now, 86 years later, his VC has surfaced at Sotheby's where it is expected to fetch up to £60,000 on May 2.

Valiant Corporal Meekosha was 22 and serving with the West Yorkshire Regiment when he earned the coveted medal for his actions on November 19, 1915.

Six of his platoon were killed, seven wounded and the rest buried. He took command, sent for help and, in spite of more shells falling within 20 yards of him, continued to dig out the wounded and buried men in full view and at close range from the enemy. His courage saved at least four lives.

Bradford historian Alan Petcher said Mr Meekosha changed his name when he married his second wife, Mary Constance Ingham.

"I've done a lot of research into Meekosha and for some unknown reason he took his wife's surname," he said.

"He was one of Bradford's heroes and I would love to see his VC brought back to the city."

Mr Petcher said he expected the medal to fetch up to £80,000.

Sotheby's medal specialist, James Morton, gave a different reason for the soldier's name change.

He said: "Meekosha was a very modest man who was quite dismissive of the act that earned him the VC.

"He joined up for the Second World War and because of his unusual name people kept asking him, 'Aren't you that chap who won the VC?' And in a bid to stop the questions he changed his name by deed poll in 1941 or 1942."

Mr Meekosha was born in Leeds and his family moved to Bradford when he was a child.

During the Second World War he held a commission in the Royal Ordnance Corps, based in Leicestershire, and was promoted to the rank of Major.

He died in December, 1950 at his home in Blackwood, Montmouthshire, South Wales.

His VC is to be sold with his birth and death certificates, newspaper cuttings and photographs, along with campaign medals of himself and his son Felix.

e