Lord Ashcroft bought the medal, awarded to Sergeant MajorStephen Garvin in 1857, for £228,000, from London auction house Dix Noonan Webb.

Sergeant Major Garvin is considered one of the Victorian era's greatest heroes for hisdaring antics in colonial India during the bitter year-long fight for independence in 1857.

He led 12 men on a brave assault on a stronghold of Indian Sepoy soldiers and, against all odds,either killed or captured all of the enemy troops.

He was presented with the VC - the highest award for valuer - by Queen Victoria herself and wasalso one of only a dozen men to be presented with a Distinguished Conduct Medal during theconflict.

His medal set was described by experts selling it as "unique" and had been expected tosell at auction for £140,000.

But after a bidding war erupted the hammer price was £190,000, which shot up to £228,000 withthe buyer's commission added.

The medal set also includes the Punjab Medal 1848-49 with clasps Mooltan and Goojerat, the IndiaGeneral Service Medal 1854-95 with clasp North West Frontier, the Indian Mutiny Medal with claspDelhi and the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

The honours made Garvin the most highly decorated non-commissioned soldier of the IndianMutiny.

David Erskine-Hill, medals specialist at Dix Noonan Webb, said: "Garvin's decision tovolunteer for the storming party was remarkable given that his chances of surviving the attack werenot high.

"His bravery then and when he later also won the Distinguished Conduct Medal made him oneof Victorian Britain's greatest heroes."

To read the complete article, see:
Victoria Cross and other medals sold to Tory peer for more than the price of a house(www.express.co.uk/news/uk/513890/Victoria-Cross-and-other-medals-sold-to-Tory-peer-for-more-than-the-price-of-a-house)

To read an earlier E-Sylum article, see:
LORD ASHCROFT'S VICTORIA CROSSCOLLECTION GOES TO IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n28a17.html)