A BOOK charting the history of a remarkable Army battalion is to receive a national award.

County Durham Books, the publishing arm of Durham County Council, will receive The Alan Ball Local History Award 2002 for The Gateshead Gurkhas, by former headteacher Harry Moses.

It charts the history of the 9th battalion of The Durham Light Infantry (9DLI), from its birth in Gateshead as a voluntary group in the 1860s to its last parade, in 1967.

It was launched in January and looks at 9DLI in both world wars, when the battalion achieved a unique record of service and sacrifice.

During the First World War, member Roland Bradford was awarded the Victoria Cross while serving as the youngest general in the British Army. He was killed in action in 1917.

John Mogg led 9DLI from 1944 to 1945 in the Second World War, and later, as a general, became deputy supreme commander of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expedition Forces, the predecessor of Nato.

The battalion was the only one in the DLI to be awarded three Victoria Crosses.

In announcing the book's award, the judges said it was "a first-class and handsomely-produced regimental history, enormously detailed and well-researched".

Patrick Conway, Durham County Council's director of cultural services, said: "These awards are national and were set up 18 years ago to encourage local history publishing by public libraries and local authorities.

"We're thrilled to win an award for The Gateshead Gurkhas which we last won in 1994 for Cathedral Artists and Images. We were commended two years later for The Faithful Sixth, about 6DLI, written once again by Harry Moses."

The award will be presented later this year