The story of a soldier in the First World War has been released 100 years after his death.

Captain Allastair McReady-Diarmid, from Southgate, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in fighting along the Canal du Nord in Moeuvres between November 30 and December 1, 1917.

The National Army Museum is now publishing his story of how he led his company through a heavy barrage, killed and wounded around 94 enemy soldiers and captured 27 prisoners before he was killed.

A clipping from The London Gazette on March 12, 1918, said: "Throughout this attack Captain McReady-Diarmid led the way himself, and it was absolutely and entirely due to his marvellous throwing of bombs that the ground was regained.

"His absolute disregard for danger, his cheerfulness and coolness at a most trying time, inspired all who saw him.

"This most gallant officer was eventually killed by a bomb when the enemy had been driven right back to their original starting point."

King George V presented his widow, Hilda, with the Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace, and his name appears on the Cambrai Memorial at Louveral, and he is commemorated by a paving stone in New Southgate which was installed in 2014 by Enfield Council for the centenary of the First World War.

At the battle, British forces had to retreat and became isolated, leaving them with communication difficulties and in four days of fighting, McReady-Diarmid's battalion, the 17th Middlesex, has 42 soldiers killed and 142 wounded.

Overall at Cambrai, 44,000 British soldiers were killed, wounded or captured, along with 45,000 enemy soldiers.