George David Hope, died 31 July 1917, aged 27.
Private G/11445, 10th Battalion, The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment.
Known in the family as David, he was born in Goudhurst on 31st August 1889 and spent most of his life here and at Brenchley and Matfield, working as a gardener. He married in April 1914, and a daughter was born in October 1915. David Hope was with the 10th Royal West Kents when they first sailed for France in May 1916: compared with its sister battalion, the 11th, it then led a charmed life during spells in the Ypres Salient and on the Somme. However, on 31st July 1917, the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres, they went over the top near Hill 60 and suffered 230 casualties, including David Hope who was never seen again. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate.
He is also commemorated on the war memorial in Matfield.