Soldier's farewell from frontline

The moving final letter of World War I soldier George Henry Davies, who enlisted in Coffs Harbour in 1916 and was killed in action in France, features in a gripping new book.

THE final letter of a soldier who enlisted in Coffs Harbour and was killed in action in France during World War I has been included in an historian's account of heartbreaking wartime goodbyes.

The gripping farewell letter, which Private George Henry Davies penned to his beloved adopted brother, prior to his death in France in 1917 has been reprinted in a gripping book.

Historian Sian Price from Cardiff, Wales, has used the example of Private Davies to highlight the powerful letters soldiers have sent from the frontline for centuries to comfort their grieving families.

"It's almost impossible to put in to words the comfort those letters give the families I met," she told the BBC.

Private Davies, who was born in Montgomery in 1889, emigrated to Australia as a Protestant missionary.

On January 21, 1916, he joined up "to make a sacrifice on behalf of my country" by enlisting in the Australian Imperial Forces in Coffs Harbour and was killed at Messines on July, 12, 1917.

His farewell letter was to his beloved friend and "adopted brother" Willie.

This will be the last time I shall write in this diary before the 'Great Push'. It may be the last time I shall ever write.

I am just taking these last few minutes at my disposal to pen this letter to you, and even as I write I am expecting to be called away.

The time is now ripe for the moment when we 'go over the top' and advance on the enemy trenches; I am to go with the boys and am not sorry to be able to do so.

I am quite ready dear laddie, I have made my peace with God, and am trusting in Christ my Saviour to bring me to Eternal Light.

I am looking forward to this 'push' to bring me a happy release from further military life which I hate, and I hope to be wounded and sent home, or else be killed, either are preferable to this hell on earth.

Now Willie dear, you will see in this diary how I love you; you are my adopted brother, your sweet, beautiful 'boy' influence lingers with me as I write these last few lines, and I want to say that I shall think of you right to the end, and I shall pray to God to keep you in His Care.

You will remember our last words together on Melbourne station, 'We will meet in Heaven'. If I die I shall be looking for you Willie, I know I shall see you again with your mother and mine in the Fadeless Morning on the Eternal Shore.

If I live Willie, I shall seek to do all I can to crush any military tendencies in my nation, I will make my name heard against money grabbing, and other evil things, and will uphold the highest and best socialism and I will try to make life more like Christ's life.

If I die I would like you to do this for me. Set your heart against all greed, selfishness, lust, and dirt my laddie, and remember Jesus Christ IS a stronghold in Whom we can hide.

Good-bye,

Your ever loving brother,

George Davies.

"It's a physical piece of paper that they can touch, like they're touching their loved one, something that they wrote on," Ms Price explained,

"Even if the letters had not been read for a while, their impact never lessens.

Ms Price searched museums and military archives from the UK to Australia and Japan for last letters of fallen heroes through the ages.

Three years and 30,000 letters later Ms Price has finished compiling her book, If You're Reading This...Last Letters From The Front Line.

The final 70 letters spanned the 17th Century to present day.

The book holds messages from soldiers over the last 300 years that fought in nine conflicts and from the Napoleonic Wars to Iraq and Afghanistan.