MILITARY officials look set to be put under pressure from beyond the grave thanks to the diary extracts of an Army officer killed in Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe became the highest-ranking Army officer to die in action since the Falklands War when he was killed in Helmand Province in 2009.

But now parts of his diary are to be published in a new book.

Lt Col Thorneloe, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, was killed with 18-year-old Trooper Joshua Hammond, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, about 8km north of Lashkar Gah.

The 39-year-old was on a re-supply convoy to visit his men who were conducting a major operation in hostile territory when an improvised explosive device was detonated under his Viking armoured vehicle.

The father-of-two’s writing is to be published in a new book called Dead Men Risen: The Welsh Guards and the Real Story of Britain’s War in Afghanistan. The book has been written by Toby Harnden, the Daily Telegraph’s US editor and will be published by Quercus on March 1.

Lt Col Thorneloe’s father, retired Major John Thorneloe, 88, who lives with wife Veronica in Kirtlington, said: “It makes me proud that the book has been written using some of Rupert’s writing. Too bad if it makes uncomfortable reading for the Ministry of Defence and Her Majesty’s Government.

“I have learned more about Rupert since he was killed than I ever knew.”

Damien Elvin, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, said: “The MoD has worked with the publishers to ensure there has been no breach of operational security.”