To his commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel BE Clay, he was "the most gallant man I have ever met". To the young soldiers from his battalion, he was an inspirational figure who repeatedly riskedhis life to tend to their wounds just yards from the front line.

Yet aged 40, bespectacled and with thinning grey hair, temporary Captain Harold Ackroyd was an unlikely hero as he earnestly undertook his medical duties a century ago on the muddy Flanders fieldsclose to the Belgian town of Ypres.

he served in France and Belgium for two long years at the height of the 1914-18 war, the repeated risks that he took made it clear that his commitment to his king, country and comrades wasconstantly endangering his life.

In fact Captain Ackroyd was killed in action 100 years ago today, 10 days after showing such outstanding bravery in the Battle of Passchendaele that he was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross(VC), Britain and the Commonwealth's most prestigious gallantry medal.

I am the privileged custodian of Captain Ackroyd's gallantry and service medals, having purchased them privately 14 years ago. This is my personal tribute to a man who fully deserves to berecognised as one of the "bravest of the brave".

It was on the opening two days of Passchendaele that the Royal Berkshires saw terrible losses as they advanced along and close to the Menin Road as part of the offensive by 53rd Brigade,30th Division.

The attack on Glencorse Wood on July 31 and August 1, though courageous, was confused and poorly organised, as the 6th Berkshires moved closer towards a well-prepared enemy and into an area thatwas already thought to have been captured.

Captain Ackroyd roamed up and down the line to treat casualties and was eventually awarded the VC for his gallantry over the two days. The citation for his decoration, announced on September 6,1917, stated:

However by the time that his VC was announced Captain Ackroyd was dead. He had been killed by an enemy sniper at Jargon Trench while close to the front line, having set out to find and treat thewounded on August 11, 1917. He was one of seven men shot dead in a shell-hole by snipers and he was buried at Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Zillebeke, Belgium.

To read the complete article, see:
A doctor's heroic devotion to duty in fields of Flanders is remembered by LordAshcroft (http://www.express.co.uk/news/history/839757/Remembering-Captain-Harold-Ackroyd-heroic-doctor-war-hero)