Painting by Rudolf Hess to be auctioned in Lincoln

The painting is part of a collection of Mr Davis' war memorabilia

A painting by Adolf Hitler's former deputy Rudolf Hess is to be sold at auction in Lincolnshire.

The landscape was given to former RAF gunner Roland Davis, who guarded Hess in prison in Berlin after the end of World War II.

It is being sold by Mr Davis' son Peter, along with other memorabilia from his father's time in the war.

The collection, which has a guide price of £500 to £800, goes under the hammer on Saturday.

The painting, signed by Hess, is believed to depict a Bavarian scene from the Nazi official's childhood.

Other items in the collection include a helmet, gas mask, flight records and medals.

Mr Davis' son wants to sell the memorabilia as a single lot, according to auctioneer Terry Woodcock, of Unique Auctions in Lincoln.

'Incredible life'

At the Nuremberg Trials, Hess was sentenced to life imprisonment, and spent 40 years at Spandau Prison, where he died in 1987.

Mr Woodcock said Mr Davis, who had served as a rear gunner on Lancaster bombers, befriended Hess while guarding him.

"He became very friendly with him because he was in charge for the English forces that were looking after him, he was chief prison warden," he said.

He added: "It's probably one of the best collections of one man to do with Germany that I've seen.

"It's the whole story, his life. He had an incredible life. His son was saying he never ever spoke of anything to do with the war.

"It was only after he died that he was going through the artefacts and started to find out about all of this."