Hero's medal goes under the hammer

The Victoria Cross is only awarded for great acts of bravery

A Victoria Cross - awarded to a Scot for bravery during the Indian Mutiny in 1857 - has been put up for auction in London.

Lieutenant William Kerr, a former pupil of Loretto School in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, won the medal for leading the storming of a mutineers' stronghold near Bombay.

His action was said to have been crucial in crushing the mutiny.

Mr Kerr was a lieutenant in the Southern Mahratta Horse attached to the 24th Bombay Native Infantry when he lead a small detachment of men to storm a fort occupied by mutineers at Kolapur.

Despite coming under a hail of gunfire and armed only with swords, they breached the rebel defences.

'Dashing bravery'

In the hand-to-hand fighting that followed, 12 of his men were killed.

A mutineer's bullet cut the chain of his helmet and another struck his sword.

Lt Kerr became known as the saviour of Kolapur and his Victoria Cross citation in the London Gazette said he had displayed dashing and devoted bravery.

The identity of the person selling the medal has been kept secret.

Sotheby's said it was expected to fetch up to £35,000.