ALL four Victoria Cross medals awarded to Great War Tank Corps soldiers are set to be displayed together for the first time in history.

Bovington’s Tank Museum will unveil a special exhibition featuring the quartet of medals, and the men whose gallantry secured them, next month.

Museum curator David Wiley explained: “Having all four VCs together a century after they were awarded is a great moment for us. They have never been together before.”

The museum owns one of the VCs, the medal awarded to Cecil Sewell, and Lord Ashcroft is loaning the one awarded to Richard West.

Richard Wain’s family loaned the museum his VC last year and following an appeal the final medal, awarded to Clement Robertson, has also been secured.

The VC is the highest award for gallantry and all four of the tank men were awarded them posthumously.

Clement Robertson, aged 26, was the first Tank Corps officer to be awarded the VC, for his heroics at Passchendaele on October 4, 1917. Prior to advancing he spent three days in no-man’s-land, under heavy fire, marking out routes for his tanks to follow. On the day of the push, even with the routes taped out, he feared tanks might lose their way. So he led them into battle on foot. As the tanks continued under shell and bullet fire Robertson was shot and killed.

Captain Richard Wain won his medal at the Battle of Cambria, November 20, 1917.

The 20-year-old was seriously injured after his tank was hit. After refusing a stretcher, he grabbed a Lewis gun and attacked the enemy.

After capturing a strong point, he took prisoners and allowed the infantry to advance. While firing at the retreating Germans he was fatally shot in the head.

Cecil Sewell, aged 23, was awarded his VC for two linked actions on August 29, 1918. After seeing one of his fellow Whippet tanks fall into a shell hole and catch fire, he jumped from his own tank and dug away the mud so the crew could escape.

Then he saw that his own tank driver, Gunner Knox, was wounded. He rushed to help and despite being shot several times, made it to his comrade and administered first aid. While treating Knox, he was fatally shot.

Richard West was also awarded his VC for two linked actions in 1918. His last words were: “Stick it, men; show them fight, and for God’s sake put up a good fight.”

The exhibition runs August 6-November 11.