A pensioner who made a nostalgic visit to his childhood Shropshire home was stunned after being handed a poignant postcard – sent by his late father from the trenches during World War One nearly 100 years ago.

Grandfather-of-twelve Reg Lewis, 96, travelled 200 miles to see the house in Edgmond, near Newport, where he was born in 1913.

The current owner saw Reg outside and told him he had found a postcard from his late father William Lewis.

He found the Field Service Postcard under floorboards during a renovation years before but had been unable to forward it.

The faded postcard was sent from William to Reg’s mother Francis from France where he was fighting in the trenches during the Great War.

It was dated July 18, 1917, but because of war protocol William, a sergeant, had been unable to include any handwritten words.

Instead it contained a series of options which could be ticked by a soldier to convey different messages to their loved ones.

William had signed the letter and marked “I am quite well”, “I have received your letter” and “Letter follows at first opportunity”.

Father-of-three Reg, of Paignton, Devon, said he was “amazed” to be handed a postcard from his father written nearly 100 years ago.

He said: “We only went up to look at the house. I just wanted to see the house where I was born. But the current owners asked us in and said he had found a postcard sent from by father.

“I was quite excited when I held it. It had my mother’s name on it, right there in front of me. I was amazed. It was amazing to hold it. It’s in great condition.

“It was a direct link to my past. I didn’t know it ever existed.

“I was four when my father sent the postcard and he never spoke about his war experiences in later years.

“Apparently, the people at the house had found it under the floorboards. It may be that it slipped down a crack in the boards.”

Retired butcher Reg and wife Margaret, 91, were given the postcard after travelling from Paignton in Devon to the house.