Telford School pupils proudly display medals awarded to war hero relative

Corporal George Sanders received the Victoria Cross (VC) - the highest military honour - and was also awarded the Military Cross, the Mons Star, The War Medal, the Victory Medal with oak leaf for being mentioned in dispatches and the 1937 Coronation Medal.

Telford Infant School pupil Nathan Iredale and his cousin Reece Iredale, who is at the Junior School, are Cpl Sanders’ great great nephews.

They were given the replica medals to show off by their grandfather Brian Iredale - Cpl Sanders’ nephew.

At the age of 22, Cpl Sanders, of the West Yorkshire Regiment, won the VC for “most conspicuous bravery” during the first day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916.

He was the first Territorial Army soldier to be awarded the VC.

In April 1918 Cpl Sanders – later promoted to the rank of Captain – won the Military Cross for gallantry during heavy fighting at Mount Kemmel.

But just a few days later, he was wounded, captured and interned at a POW camp.

He survived the war and lived to the age of 56 in his home city of Leeds.

Mr Iredale has provided original photographs and background information, including maps relating to the exact position occupied by Corporal Sanders during the Somme, to Michael Naxton, curator of the Lord Ashcroft Medal Collection at the Imperial War Museum in London where the soldier’s original VC is now on display.