The Posctcard below was sent 29th July 1916.
As far as we know Private Hopper survived the War, the Church Army Recreation Hut was a place where facilities were provided for writing a letter home, a place for reflection or refreshment. By 1918 there were 800 huts in France and Flanders manned by volunteers as well as the huts in military barracks in Great Britain.
The Postcard reads:
‘Dear Miss Cain
I thought perhaps you might like to have a p.c from me and to hear that I am still in dear old England. I hope your Mother and yourself are both well as I am pleased to say I am very fit. I am still going on with my signalling course and am pickling it up very nicely. The weather has been beautiful during the last day or two and the hay making round this part is in full swing. I hear that Margate is rather devoid of visitors this season but we must hope and pray for a better and more peaceful state of affairs next year. If you would care to drop me a line I should be very pleased to hear from you at any time and with my kindest regards to you both I remain yours very truly Walter J Hopper’
‘Miss Cain, 4 Sussex Avenue, Margate, Kent’
‘Private W J Hopper 9157 C Company 9th buffs Old Park Camp, Whitfield, Dover’
From the collection of D Price