ONE of County Durham’s war heroes will be remembered at a service commemorating the centenary of the day his actions earned him a Victoria Cross.

Michael Heaviside, born in Durham City, was awarded the medal for conspicuous gallantry during the Battle of Arras during the First World War.

Today, 100 years since the act of bravery, a service will be held at St Giles’ Church, Gilesgate, the parish where he was born.

It will be conducted by Reverend Dr Alan Bartlett and will be followed by the unveiling of a commemoration stone, which will be blessed with wreaths laid by guests and family.

On May 6, 1917, during a lull in the fighting, Pte Heaviside heard the cries of a wounded soldier, lying in a shell-hole in No Man's Land, near the German lines.

The stretcher bearer, who served with the Durham Light Infantry, risked almost certain death when he scrambled over the barricades and crawled 60 yards from crater to crater to find the injured man, arriving with food, water and bandages.

A witness said: "We could see bullets striking the ground right around the spot over which Heaviside was crawling. Every minute we expected to be his last but the brave chap went on.

"The enemy seemed to be more determined to hit him, for the bullets were splattering about more viciously than ever."

Eventually, Heaviside reached the young soldier who had lain injured for four days, and saved his life by giving him food, water and dressing his wounds.

He then crawled back to his trenches, only to make the same trip again, once night fell, to drag the soldier to safety.

Pte Heaviside was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace on July 21, 1917.

After the war, He returned a hero and lived out his life in Craghead, near Stanley, until his death in 1939, when he was buried in St Thomas' Church.

The service on Saturday starts at 10.30am.

Members of the public are welcome to attend and if people are coming by car they are asked to part in Durham University’s Hild Bede College, DH1 1SZ