Harry appears to have been christened Henry when he was born in 1881 [8th May 1882] in Bramford. He was the son of Harry and Maria (née Keeble) Scopes and in 1901 the family was living in “No 3 Gipping Cottages” The Street, Bramford (Gipping Cottages are now 2 to 10 Fitzgerald Road). Harry is a derivation of Henry and it may be that he adopted this later in life to differentiate himself from his father, also called Henry. Just to confuse things his father had a middle name beginning with “H” but what it was, has not been determined. Whatever the reason, Harry was known as Harry H Scopes through his adult life. In 1901 Harry he married Lily Lewis and 1911 they, and three children, are living at 4 Runton [Runcton] Cottages, Bramford. Harry was a labourer at Fisons factory in Bramford.
Harry enlisted in the Suffolk Regiment on 25th May 1915 as Private No 20254 aged 34. While based in Felixstowe he overstayed his pass and was awarded 7 days confined to barracks and forfeited two days’ pay. Harry crossed to France on 7th December 1915 as and joined the 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment on 20th December 1915. At this time the 2nd Battalion were in the trenches at Ypres. During February 1916 Harry was treated for a bout of ‘flu but rejoined his battalion early in March just missing a major attack by the battalion in which there were heavy casualties.
On 29th June 1916 Harry again fell foul of military law by absenting himself from parade and remaining absent for 13 hours. For this he was given 5 days Field Punishment No 2* and forfeited 1 days’ pay.
However, on 1st July the battalion was transferred to the Somme and quickly engaged in the fighting that began that day so it is unlikely he would have completed his punishment immediately. On 20th July they were engaged in an attack on Longueval and Delville Woods. Again, the battalion suffered heavy casualties including Harry who was wounded by shrapnel in the left thigh and buttock. As a result, Harry was taken back to the UK and treated at Liverpool Hospital. He did not seem to suffer any permanent damage from his wounds but did not serve again on the front line. He was transferred to the Labour Corps as No 255128 serving with the 431st and 692nd Agricultural Companies and remained in the UK. Even then Harry could not stay out of trouble as a note on his record says that he was admitted to Barnwell Military Hospital, Cambridge from 27th July 1917 until 9th August 1917 suffering from gonorrhoea.
Harry was finally demobbed on 14th February 1919 and claimed for disability as a result of his wounds. This was rejected by the Medical Board as his wounds had healed well and he had no lasting effects from them. At this time his address is given as High Street, Sproughton and his children now numbering five.
In 1939 he is living at 65 Shakespeare Road, Ipswich and working as a Builders labourer. He is widowed – Lily had died in 1926.
*Field punishments
Field Punishment Number 1 consisted of the convicted man being shackled in irons and secured to a fixed object, often a gun wheel or similar. He could only be thus fixed for up to 2 hours in 24, and not for more than 3 days in 4, or for more than 21 days in his sentence. This punishment was often known as ‘crucifixion’ and due to its humiliating nature was viewed by many soldiers as unfair. Field Punishment Number 2 was similar except the man was shackled but not fixed to anything. Both forms were carried out by the office of the Provost-Marshal, unless his unit was officially on the move when it would be carried out regimentally i.e. by his own unit.
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