Dear Mr. Cornwell,

Firstly thank you for all the hours of enjoyment your books have given me over the years. The Sharpe series in particular. Sean Bean’s portrayal of which in the TV series inspired many a table top skirmish in my youth, which often gave me a welcome escape from things at home.

I was doing a little online researching (for a novel that I am sure I have inside me somewhere) of what was my local regiment (born in Halifax) The Duke Of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding), when I realised they were formerly the 33rd Regiment of Foot

This is something that I hadn’t made the connection with for all these years but I’m guessing that it was intentional that Sharpe enlisted in the regiment (if memory serves me correctly) that would many years later be renamed in honour of the man who raised him from the ranks?

And also, given the ‘Dukes’ regimental motto ‘Fortune Favours The Brave’, was that in your thoughts too, when thinking of the character Sharpe would become?

Oh, and did Sharpe ever eat a havercake?

All the very best and thank you once more.

Dave.