'I would rather die a man's death than feel I had failed': British Tommy's stoic letter from the Trenches is tipped to fetch £3,000 at auction
- Captain Walter Cornock wrote to his father in June 1917 and said he was driven by an enormous sense of duty
- Capt Cornock said people are 'unnecessarily afraid of death' in the stoic letter
- He distinguished himself during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 and the 1918 German Spring OffensiveA stoic letter from a British World War One officer saying he would rather 'die a man's death than feel I had failed' has come to light 104 years on.
Captain Walter Cornock, of the 12th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, distinguished himself during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 and the 1918 German Spring Offensive.
The correspondence to his father, also named Walter, reveals how he was driven by an enormous sense of duty and prepared to sacrifice his life for his country.
The 25-year-old, from Gloucester, said this was preferable to taking 'cowardly advantage' of a situation and surviving, adding that people are 'unnecessarily afraid of death'.
Captain Walter Cornock, of the 12th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, distinguished himself during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 and the 1918 German Spring Offensive
Captain Walter Cornock's diaries and letters and diaries have emerged for sale alongside his campaign medals with Fellows Auctioneers, of Birmingham
The correspondence to his father, also named Walter, reveals how he was driven by an enormous sense of duty and prepared to sacrifice his life for his country. Pictured: The letterHe wrote on June 24, 1917: 'I would rather die a man's death, than have to feel that I had failed to go through with it or taken a cowardly advantage of a chance to get out of it.
'Not that I expect to be killed, I have every hope of coming through, providence has been very good to me thus far, thankfully I don't mind much either way.
'I think we are unnecessarily afraid of death - I'm only worried because of the pain it would cause to all you at home.
'However, please don't worry anymore about my coming home because I shouldn't be... I am fit and all serene. Heaps and heaps of love to you all.'
His letters and diaries have emerged for sale alongside his campaign medals with Fellows Auctioneers, of Birmingham.
The archive, which has been kept in an iron safety box carrying his name, is tipped to fetch £3,000. It also features his scabbard and a family photo album.
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