THE daughter of a North-East Victoria Cross winner is preparing to take an emotional pilgrimage to the grave of her father.

Lilian Wakenshaw was a young girl when her father, Adam Herbert Wakenshaw, was killed in action more than 60 years ago in the North African desert.

She said "It is something I have always wanted to do. I will be saying hello and goodbye in my own way."

Ms Wakenshaw, from Newcastle, will be travelling to Libya next week after getting help from the Durham Light Infantry Association.

Her father was a member of the crew of an anti-tank gun sited on a forward slope in front of the infantry position on June 27, 1942.

The enemy attacked shortly after dawn. Pte Wakenshaw's gun crew opened fire and stopped the vehicle, but another mobile enemy gun came into action, killing or wounding the whole crew.

Although badly wounded, he realised his comrades were in danger as the enemy advanced. Despite part of his left arm having been blown off, Pte Wakenshaw crawled back while under attack to fire five more rounds from his anti-tank gun.

His shots set the enemy vehicle on fire and damaged the gun, but he was blown away from his own gun by a near miss, which left him with further severe injuries.

Undeterred, he dragged himself back to the gun, placed a round in the breech, and was preparing to fire when a direct hit on the ammunition killed him.