P.E.I. soldier's war medals bought in online auction now at P.E.I. Regiment Museum

The World War I medals awarded to a Charlottetown man killed in action in March 1918 are now at the P.E.I. Regiment Museum after being scooped up in an online auction by a resident of Scotland.

The medals of Cpl. Thomas WarburtonHooper were donatedby John Cunningham, who saw them for sale at an auction in Britain. Cunningham's grandfather and Hooper both served in the Lord Strathcona Canadian cavalry regiment.

Cunningham agreed to donate the medals to the museum if no direct relatives of Hooper could be found.

Museum curatorCapt. Greg Gallant said thedonationincludes the museum's first 1914-15 Star, awarded to those who fought early in thewar.

Gallant said he knows of onlythreeIslanders who earnedthe honour, making itan even more significant gift.

"I think it's just nice that this gentleman in Scotland who really didn't know us from a hole in the ground entrusted us withthese medals," said Gallant.

"He purchased them at an auction and paid way over $1,000 for them, and then, you know, put themin the mail to us. So I think it was a very kind gesture on his behalf."

Medals to be included in special exhibit

Gallant said the medals should be part of the museum's permanent collection soon.

The museum is hoping to find a picture of Hooper to include with the display, but so far Gallant has not been able to locate one.He said no livingnext of kin havebeen found and no pictures of Hooper areincluded in his war recordsin Ottawa.

Research hasrevealedHooper was 25and working out West when war brokeout in 1914. He enlisted in Waverley,Sask.

"Any time thatwe cantellanother piece of the story from an era, whether it be First World War, Second [World] War, I think we should be doing it," said Gallant.

The museum plans to highlight Hooper'smedals in an upcoming World War I exhibit tracing the involvement of Islanders from 1914 to 1918, including nurses who served overseas. That display is expected to open in April around the anniversary ofVimyRidge.

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