A rare 1957 George Cross medal, discovered for a mere £20 at a car boot sale, is set to go under the hammer and could fetch up to £2m.
The prestigious award was bestowed upon Second Lieutenant Michael Paul Benner, who tragically lost his life in a heroic attempt to save a fellow soldier during a training exercise in the Austrian mountains.
Leading a group of six men across a challenging 12,400 traverse to the summit of Grossglockner, disaster struck on their descent when the steps became treacherously icy due to a storm.
When one of his men, Snapper Phillips, slipped and began to fall, Benner instinctively tried to save him, resulting in both men plummeting to their deaths down the mountain's steep face.
For his bravery, Benner was posthumously awarded the highest honour.
The medal was later found in a box of militaria at an East Yorkshire boot sale, purchased for just £20.
It is set to be auctioned at Heckmondwike Auctions on April 1, 2025.
While the vendor has set a reserve price of between £60k and £80k, the auction house notes that a previous George Cross fetched a staggering £2.1m.
