A gallantry medal, posthumously awarded to a Crossgates war hero killed in action during the First World War, sold for more than double the sum it was expected to fetch.

It was thought the Military Medal given to Sergeant Hugh Forrester would go for around £200 but a mystery bidder snapped it up for £540 when under the hammer at an auction in London today.

Born in Crossgates on October 23,1893, the soldier served with the 6th Battalion Cameron Highlanders and died in combat in France at the age of 23 on April 24, 1917.

Eight weeks later, Sgt Forrester was posthumously awarded the Military Medal for “acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire”.

It is not known exactly how or where he was killed, or whether his body was ever recovered, but he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in France.

This suggests that he was probably killed during the Battle of Arras, one of the bloodiest conflicts of the First World War in which 158,000 British and Allied troops were killed or wounded.

The battle lasted five weeks and also claimed the life of Edward Thomas, famous for poems such as Adlestrop.

Nearly 100 years later, Sgt Forrester’s Military Medal was expected to fetch between £160 and £200 at the auction at Spink in Bloomsbury, London.

The medal was described as in “nearly extremely fine” condition and, prior to the auction, it was pointed out that, if Sgt Forrester had not been killed in action, it would be worth somewhere between £100 and £140.

Fortunately the medal had not been polished as that would have reduced its value. In the end, it surpassed its estimated valuation by some margin.

Sgt Forrester was one of the earliest recipients of the Military Medal, which was introduced in March 1916 and is a silver medal.

It is inscribed “For Bravery In The Field” and features an image of King George V.

Hugh was the youngest of six children of coal miner Andrew Forrester and his wife Jane.

In 1901, the family were living at Dunfermline Road, Crossgates but later moved to Morton Place, which no longer exists.

According to the 1911 census, Hugh Forrester was an apprentice plasterer, sisters Helen and Isabella were teachers; his brother, Alexander, was a marine engine fitter; and sister Euphemia was a clerk at a warehouse.