THE family of an Ambleside soldier has shared the poignant letter he wrote to home just days before he went missing at sea during World War One.

Reginald Hickman, known to his family and friends as Regi, enlisted in 1914 in the First Battalion in the Border Regiment as a private.

On July 28, 1915, at the age of just 20, Reginald and around 1,400 comrades embarked on the Royal Edward ship from Avonmouth to take reinforcements to Gallipoli.

On the morning of August 13, on the Aegan Sea, the Royal Edward was hit by a German submarine’s torpedo which sank the ship in just six minutes.

Only a small number of men survived the attack and Reginald was listed as one of the missing soldiers.

In his final letter, written just a week before, the private sent his love to the rest of his family and talked of his hopes that he would soon return home to the Lake District.

“Don’t upset yourselves about me as I hope to come back alright, trusting to good luck,” he wrote. “By Gibraltar it is just like the Lake District with the hills rising from the water especially so on the African side.”

He signed off: “I hope this letter finds you both well at home as it leaves me in the best of health. I am your loving son, Reg.”

On September 27, 1915, Reginald’s mother Sarah Hickman received another letter - this time from the War Office telling her that Reginald was missing presumed dead - one of more than 900 who perished on the ship.

Reginald’s final letter was shown to the Gazette after the soldier’s story was revealed as part of last week’s WW1 centenary coverage.

His great-niece Claire Cutolo, of Ambleside, said she was ‘surprised and moved’ to see Reginald’s photograph among eight servicemen featured. She said she wanted to share more of his story with readers.