A set of medals, with a main focus on the First World War, will be on sale at Whitchurch-based Trevanion and Dean’s July auction.

The private collection of medals, owned by a Cheshire man, will go on sale at the auction on July 15 at their Station Road home, with viewings available on Thursday and Friday.

Partner Aaron Dean is delighted to have been trusted to sell the collection, but admitted he wanted to remember the stories behind the medals.

He said: “It is easy to see these items as just collectable pieces and forget the human cost behind them.

“Cataloguing the collection has been heart wrenching as individual stories of incredible bravery have emerged.

“One such group included in the auction is a First World War Military Medal group of four medals, awarded to 2081 Corporal James Henry Amson of the Royal Engineers.

“On September 21, 1918, Corporal Amson was present at a German bombardment of the trenches, near Ronssoy, the transcript for his Military Medal tells us more of his actions that night.”

It said: “The enemy put down an intense bombardment on the forward areas which completely broke up our telephone lines. This N.C.O. went along and repaired all forward cables and in one case where 1,500 yards had been completely blown out, he carried up and re-laid new cable under an incessant bombardment of shells and gas and eventually established communication. The cables were continually breaking and he worked on these faults for over 13 hours with splendid courage and determination.”

Aaron said: “It is quite extraordinary to think that Corporal Amson worked tirelessly for 13 hours to restore vital communication lines, under the most difficult circumstances imaginable. It is no wonder that he was awarded the Military Medal for his actions.”

Aaron added that Corporal Amson died just four weeks before the war ended.

This is just one of the numerous tragic histories to have been discovered during the cataloguing of this important collection, which also includes medals awarded following historically significant battles.

Part of this group includes medals from the Sudanese War in 1898, which was witnessed by Winston Churchill, and belonged to Sergeant T Haggar.

Sergeant Haggar’s medals will form part of the collection which the auctioneers will offer as part of their next antiques auction on July 15, and carry a pre-sale estimate of £1,000 to £1,500.