THERE’S a distinctly militaristic theme to the next auction of antiques at Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester.

From flags and gas masks to buttons and medals, collectors of militaria will be answering the reveille to attend the sale, which takes place tomorrow.

The lot most likely to be mentioned in dispatches is a Military Cross housed in a leather case, together with a British War Medal and a Victory Medal.

The Military Cross was awarded to Lieutenant Harry Robinson of the Northumberland Fusiliers for showing "great gallantry" at Maresches on 1 November, 1918.

According to the citation, he and his platoon built a bridge across the River Rhonelle and took the village, in northern France, from the Germans.

Later, after a German counter-attack, he led two platoons and collected men of other regiments to establish a forward position, which he held until being relieved, taking 40 prisoners at the same time.

The lot also includes Lt Robinson’s handwritten diary, which starts on November 9, 1916 and ends on January 2, 1917. The lot is expected to achieve £600 to £800.

Staying with the Great War, a British Army tin hat, with painted decoration inscribed Artists’s Rifles 1915-1916 Quo Fata Vocant 16-18 Royal Berkshire Reg China 1920-25 Ypres Sommes Aras Lys Combray and Passiondale will be going under the hammer.

The Artists Rifles – as the name suggests – was a volunteer regiment formed of painters, musicians, actors and architects. The lot also includes badges, buttons and an Iron Cross.

It is expected to make between £50 and £80.

And a collection of World War I medals includes a 1914-14 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal all inscribed to Pte A J Emms, together with his death plaque and dog tags, along with a 1914 Star, a War Medal and a Victory Medal inscribed to Pte E Binnion Rif Brig, and his dog tags.

The lot is expected to achieve between £100 and £150.

The most striking items from the Second World War artefacts are a cloth Nazi swastika roundel and a Japanese rising sun flag, both of which should realise bids of £50 to £80, as should a lot comprising three circa 1938-1940 gas masks, including one to fit a child, and another fitted with headphones and microphone for a radio operator.

A Second World War Sherman tank periscope, along with a collection of nine various instruments and dials, should also achieve £50 to £80.

Perhaps the most interesting lot is an American Survival Kit, issued to GIs during the Second World War.

The kit contains a fish hook and line, compass and sewing kit contained in a sealed plastic flask along with a packet of chewing gum and a bar of Hershey’s tropical chocolate.

Hershey’s tropical chocolate bars were developed for the military to supplement Army rations and designed to withstand conditions in parts of the world where traditional chocolate would melt.

During the course of the war, a whopping 380 million bars were produced for the US military, and after the war ended the confectionary treat continued to see action – even going to the Moon with the Apollo 15 astronauts in 1971.

Whether the chocolate bar still tastes okay will be a matter for the successful bidder to determine. Auctioneers are expecting £70 to £100 for the lot. For a full auction catalogue, log on to www.mooreallen.co.uk.