A rare Victoria Cross awarded to an Australian digger in World War II is expected to fetch more than $1.6 million when it goes under the hammer.

The highly-prized medal for conspicuous bravery was awarded to Queensland soldier John Alexander “Jack” French, one of just 20 VCs won by Australians in the Second Word War.

Corporal French was a 28 -year-old volunteer from Crows Nest, near Toowoomba, whose 2/9th Battalion initially fought the Germans during the notorious siege of Tobruk in North Africa in 1941.

He was eventually recalled to defend Australia from invading Japanese forces and awarded the VC posthumously for his gallantry in the Battle of Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea during the first land campaign defeat of the Japanese army in the war.

The citation reads that on September 4, 1942, his company attacked a Japanese position “where it encountered terrific rifle and machine-gun fire”.

The Australians were held up from three enemy machine-gun posts when Corporal French advanced and “silenced” one with grenades.

“He returned to his section for more grenades and again advanced and silenced the second post. Armed with a Thompson sub-machine gun, he then attacked the third post, firing from the hip as he went forward.”

Despite being badly wounded he carried on.

When his section advanced they found the three enemy gun crews had been killed and Corporal French had died in front of the third gun pit.

“By his cool courage and disregard of his own personal safety, this non-commissioned officer saved members of his section from heavy casualties and was responsible for the successful conclusion of the attack.”

The VC and Corporal French’s group of six other medals will be auctioned by Noble Numismatics during the week of July 24-28 at the State Library of NSW in Sydney.

– AAP