A Victoria Cross awarded to Second Lieutenant James Kirk, who displayed extraordinary bravery during the final days of World War One, has been sold at auction for £130,000. Kirk, a 21-year-old officer with the 10th Battalion Manchester Regiment, undertook a solo mission on November 4, 1918, near Ors in northern France, facing intense German machine gun fire.

During the engagement, Kirk paddled across a canal on a makeshift raft constructed from petrol drums and cork floats. Despite heavy enemy fire, he reached within approximately ten yards of the German position. Armed with limited ammunition, he fired until his initial supply was depleted, after which additional rounds were brought to him while he awaited under fire.

Kirk sustained multiple wounds, including shots to his arm and face, but he continued to engage the enemy until he was ultimately fatally struck by a shot to the head. His courageous actions facilitated the safe crossing of two platoons across a crucial bridge, contributing significantly to the operation’s success in the closing stages of the war.

The Victoria Cross, along with Kirk’s three other service medals, was sold at Noonan’s auction house in Mayfair. The medal’s sale offers a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers like Kirk during World War One and preserves the legacy of their gallantry for future generations.