BELLS will ring out in two towns next week in memory of a man killed in the Battle of the Somme 100 years ago this month.

Sidney Cornock, whose wartime letters would later become the inspiration for a play, was killed by a shell in fighting near Thiepval on October 25, 1916 at the age of 32.

He was born on August 31, 1883 and was the tenth child of Charles and Ruth Cornock of Holywell, Wotton-under-Edge.

After leaving school Sidney worked as a painter and paper-hanger, firstly in the employment of Mr R Cook and then J Jotcham and Son before later working for the Prudential Assurance Company in Berkeley.

He married Agnes Maud Wilcox of Turkdean and they moved to Church Lane, Berkeley and had two children, Muriel Eleanor and Maurice Osborne.

Sidney learned to ring church bells in Wotton-under-Edge and joined the band at Berkeley after moving to live near the church. He later became tower captain and steeple-keeper.

When the First World War came around he, like many others, enlisted and was drafted into the 13th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment – a pioneer battalion known as The Forest of Dean Pioneers – along with two of his brothers, Maurice and Newton.

In August 1916 the battalion headed for the Thiepval sector of the Somme battlefield.

On October 24, the battalion was on the front line attacking the enemy in the Schwaben Redoubt area – a huge German fortification.

His commanding officer, Major R Howman, in a letter to Agnes, described how Sidney was killed in action: “At the time we were leaving the trenches and were heavily shelled on the way out.

“One shell landed in the trench killing several men, among whom was your husband.

“Luckily he did not suffer, as he was killed instantly.”

Sidney's brother Newton was injured by the same shell whilst Maurice managed to avoid any injury, but did witness his brother's death. Both these brothers survived the war.

Many letters, written by Sidney while in France, have passed down through the family and these formed the basis of ‘Holding the Line’ - a play written by Marc Pasco of Wotton-under-Edge – which, in November 2000, was performed in the town with Sidney's grand daughter, Angela Cornock present in the audience.

His connection with bell ringing in the region means he will be the latest to be commemorated by Wotton Branch Bell Ringers when bells are rung in both Berkeley and Wotton-under-Edge.