The mongrel, called Rip, was awarded a Dickin Medal in 1945 after sniffing out dozens of air raid victims during the blitz.
The founder of veterinary charity PDSA, Maria Dickin, began awarding the medals in 1943 to recognise animals which showed "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty".
The Dickin Medal became known as the animal version of the Victoria Cross. Since its introduction 62 have been awarded to dogs, pigeons, horses and a cat.
Rip was found homeless and starving after an air raid in 1940.
An air raid warden working at Southill Street Air Raid Patrol in Poplar, east London, adopted the dog and Rip began sniffing out people trapped in the rubble.
The warden found the dog, which had no official training, was always on duty, never got in the way and was quick to locate casualties.
During the Blitz he helped to find and rescue more than 100 air raid victims.
It was partly due to Rip's success that towards the end of the war the authorities decided to train dogs officially to trace casualties.
Rip wore the Dickin Medal on his collar for the rest of his life.
He died in 1948 and was the first of 12 "supreme animal heroes" to be buried in the PDSA cemetery in Ilford, Essex.
His headstone reads: "Rip, D.M., 'We also serve', for the dog whose body lies here played his part in the Battle of Britain."
The winning bidder at the Spink auction in central London wanted to remain anonymous.
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