IT sounds like the climax of a Hollywood blockbuster. Two old friends, now fully grown, lie dying just 100 yards apart on the battlefield, as the First World War rages around them.

Sadly this was no fiction, but the grim reality of Gallipoli, 1915.

Durham School old boys Jimmy Dingle and Nowell Oxland died completely unaware the other was on the same landing at Suvla Bay.

They perished trying to capture low hills overlooking beaches in what is now Turkey.

Nearly a century on, their heroics have been chronicled in a new book by author Stephen Cooper.

And recently the writer visited Durham School, renowned for its rugby achievements and long-standing links to the Armed Forces, to discuss the work, titled The Final Whistle – The Great War in Fifteen Players, in a seminar aimed at inspiring today’s youngsters in both sport and study.

Youngsters heard how, in the early 20th Century, school rugby fields across Britain had become training grounds for war.

Mr Cooper’s book views the “war to end all wars” through the lives of 15 men who played for Rosslyn Park Rugby Club, in London – including the two Old Dunelmians.

Jimmy Dingle was from Egglescliffe, near Stockton, and part of the East Yorkshires Regiment.

Nowell Oxland, Devon-born, was in the Borders Regiment.

Dingle was educated at Bow Prep School, now part of Durham School, and then Durham School from 1906. He became captain of the school’s First XV and, in 1910, head boy.

An outstanding rower, he won the 1910 Durham Regatta and was a King’s Scholar from 1906.

He returned to Durham School to teach and, as such, was exempt from military service but signed up anyway, in 1914.

Oxland joined Durham School in 1903. A window sill at School House still has his name carved into it.

He rowed, played for the First XV for three years and preceded Dingle, his close friend, as head boy.

It was Diccon Tyreman, the school’s head of history, who invited Mr Cooper to discuss the book. The author addressed an audience of more than 100 students and parents.

He spent a year researching and writing the tome, motivated by his love of rugby – having been a player and coach for more than 40 years.

His interest in the First World War stemmed partly from his grandfather having survived of the infamous Battle of the Somme.

Mr Tyreman said: “When Stephen spoke about the two Old Dunelmians, Jimmy and Nowell, the students were completely enthralled.

“Jimmy used to play rugby for England, both were head boys and best friends at school and they were both in different regiments.

“It was incredible that Stephen discovered that they had died in battle just 100 yards apart from each other, when they didn’t even know they were on the same hill.

“We feel extremely honoured to have met Stephen and students gained an invaluable insight into an incredibly successful book.”

The current vice-captain of the school’s First XV, Samuel Hardy, 17, from Darlington, said: “I think it is excellent that the school invites authors here to talk to us like this.

“It has made us all aware of the story and has made our rugby team really think about the importance of the game and those former players and heroes.

“It has been inspirational on different levels.

It has made us appreciate just how fortunate we are in our lives and motivated us to try even harder on the field and in our studies.”