WAR hero George Peachment - Bury's forgotten soldier who sacrificed his life on the battlefield - has at last been honoured in his home village.

Tottington parishioners were joined by top dignitaries, including General Sir Christopher Wallace of the King's Royal Rifle Corps Association, at St Anne's Church for a special ceremony to unveil a plaque commemorating the life of Pte Peachment - the only Bury soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

Now the vicar of St Anne's Church, the Rev Hugh Bearn, is asking for extra recognition of Pte Peachment more than 90 years after his death.

He said: "The Victoria Cross is the highest award you can bestow on anyone and it amazes me that so many people do not know the meaning of it. It amazes me that, not just in this borough, there are Victoria Cross recipients lying in unmarked graves. It is an absolute disgrace.

"Peachment is the most distinguished man and was the forgotten man of Bury until last Sunday. How there is not a George Peachment Street or something similar is staggering - and that is not a criticism of Bury as it is the same across the country."

Pte Peachment was just 18 when he was killed in the First World War while trying to save his company commander under intense enemy fire.

After lying about his age and wearing his father's bowler hat to enlist, Peachment was one of the youngest men in his battalion and awarded the Army's highest honour posthumously for his bravery.

His sacrifice has been immortalised at St Anne's in Chapel Street with the bronze plaque originally installed at Parkhills United Methodist Church but later found in the back room of Lancashire Fusiliers Museum.

Mr Bearn said: "It was found at the museum and no-one knew what it was but I knew exactly who it was as I recognised his picture from Stan Peachment, who was his nephew and the last family owner of the Victoria Cross before it was sold into a private collection."

With help from former Bury MP Alistair Burt, who contacted the VC owner Lord Michael Ashcroft for permission, the Victoria Cross was brought home to Tottington for the service.

"No-one knew we had the VC and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife when the procession entered the church," said Mr Bearn. "And when we played the traditional sunset hymn for the Army, there was not a dry eye in the church. We are proud and honoured to have this monument in our church."

Pte Peachment was serving with the 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, when he was killed during the Battle of Loos on September 25, 1915.

He was crawling through "no-man's land" during a retreat from the German front lines when he saw his company commander, Captain Guy Dubs, lying wounded. He gave first-aid under intense fire before attempting to pull the officer to safety, despite being injured by a bomb splinter. A minute later, he was killed by a sniper bullet.

George's medal was presented to his mother, Mary Peachment, who lived in Hilda Avenue, by King George V at Buckingham Palace on November 29, 1916. It was sold at auction in 1996 for more than £30,000.