Selected Biographies

Copsey, Alexander – Born: Glemsford, Suffolk on 15.6.1887.  Parents: Thomas Copsey (Coconut Mat Weaver) and Jane [née Thompson].  Home: Egremont Street, Glemsford, Suffolk (1891 and 1901), Bridge Street, Long Melford [1916], 11 Morgan Street, Canning Town, London (1939), 7 Cleves Walk, Barkingside, Essex [1948].  Occupation: Insurance Agent for Pearl Assurance (1911), Steel Driller [1916], Foreman at a Coconut Mat Factory (1939).  Married: Jane Emma Cook of Long Melford in 1914.  Service Record: Alexander was conscripted on 29.1.1916 and mobilised on 29.5.1918 as Pte.MT/400415 with N^o. 7 Reserve Mechanical Transport Depot, Army Service Corps, being discharged in 1919.  Died: Ilford, Essex on 6.8.1948.[1]

Copsey, Alfred James – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 3.8.1896.  Parents: James William Copsey (Brickmaker, later Railway Plate Layer) and Hannah Anne [née Wright].  Family Connections: Nephew of Benjamin Copsey [b1863].  Home: St Marys Street, Long Melford (1901), Rotten Row, Long Melford (1911), Little Hall Farm, Boxted, Suffolk [1919], 3 Ramsey Road, Halstead, Essex [1960].  Occupation: Milker and Cowman on Melford Place Farm, Long Melford [1917].  Married: Elizabeth Oakley in 1917.  Service Record: At the Melford Military Service Tribunal in March 1916 his employer Charles Westropp applied for his exemption, which was granted for six months.  He applied again in October and was informed that his exemption would end in February unless a substitute could be found.  At the hearing in March 1917, any further request for exemption was withdrawn.  Alfred was conscripted on 30.4.1917 as Pte.202706 with 1/5^th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and was posted to Egypt from 21.8.1917 as part of 153^rd Brigade, 54^th [East Anglian] Division.  He joined his unit in Palestine and saw action against Ottoman Turk forces at the Third Battle of Gaza.  On 3.9.1918 he transferred as Pte.617727 to 2/19^th [County of London] Battalion, London Regiment, as part of 180^th [2/5^th London] Brigade, 60^th [2/2^nd London] Division.  Within weeks of joining his new unit he took part in the Battle of Megiddo, the last great battle of the Palestine campaign, returning to England on 11.11.1918.  Died: Halstead, Essex on 5.6.1960.[2]

Copsey, Archibald Edwin A. – Born: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1888.  Parents: Archibald Collin Copsey of Long Melford and Elizabeth Mahalia [née Ottley].  Home: 7 Melford Road, Sudbury, Suffolk (1891), 6 Girton Terrace, Sudbury (1901), Garden Side, 1 Croft Road, Sudbury (1911).  Occupation: Gas Engine Driver (1911).  Married: Rose Emma Plumridge in 1925.  Service Record: Although no definitive military record has been found, Archibald may have attested as Gnr.120060 with the Royal Garrison Artillery, if this assumption is correct then he transferred as Pte.593935 to the Labour Corps.  Died: Rochford, Essex in 1929.[3].

Copsey, Benjamin – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1863.  Parents: Amos Copsey (Tailor) and to Susannah [née Hills].  Family Connections: Cousin of Thomas Edward Copsey [b1864] and uncle of Alfred James Copsey [b1896].  Home: Cuckoo Tye, Long Melford (1871), Station Road, Long Melford (1881), Chapel Green, Long Melford (1901 and 1911).  Occupation: Labourer at Flax Mill (1881), Artilleryman [1884 to 1986], Agricultural Labourer (1901 and 1911).  Service Record: Benjamin enlisted in 1884 as Gnr.45003 with the Royal Garrison Artillery, posted to the Channel Islands and Gibraltar from 1885 to 1892, receiving his discharge in 1896.  It is not known if he saw service during the First World War, as no definitive record has been found.  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1938.[4]

Copsey, Edward Bishop – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1867.  Parents: Samuel Copsey (Engine Fitter) and to Charlotte [née Brewer].  Family Connections: Brother to George William Copsey [b1870].  Home: Hall Street, Long Melford (1871), Norley Road, Braintree, Essex (1881), Military Barracks, Sunderland, County Durham (1891).  Occupation: Baker’s Assistant (1881), Labourer [1891].  Service Record: Edward enlisted in 1891 as Gnr.83727 with the Royal Artillery, being posted to India from 1891 to 1898.  It is not known if he saw service during the First World War, as no definitive record has been found.[5]

Copsey, George William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1870.  Parents: Samuel Copsey (Engine Fitter) and to Charlotte [née Brewer].  Family Connections: Brother to Edward Bishop Copsey [b1867].  Home: Hall Street, Long Melford (1871), Norley Road, Braintree, Essex (1881), 52 Albert Street, Grimsby, Lincolnshire (1891), Bracebridge Asylum, Bracebridge Heath, Lincolnshire (1901).  Occupation: Fisherman (1891 and 1901).  Service Record: George enlisted in 1887 as Pte.1682 with 3^rd Battalion, Essex Regiment, receiving his discharge in 1887.  It is not known if he saw service during the First World War, as no definitive record has been found.  Died: Lincoln, Lincolnshire in 1918.[6]

Copsey, Thomas Edward – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1864.  Parents: David Copsey (Portable Engine Driver) and Mary Ann [née Branwhite] (Horsehair Seating Polisher).  Family Connections: Cousin of Benjamin Copsey [b1863].  Home: Chapel Green, Long Melford (1871 to 1901), Hollands, The Green, Long Melford (1911).  Occupation: Flax Dresser (1881), Army Reservist (1891), Flax Mill Labourer (1901), Soldier [1883 to 1907].  Married: Ellen Rosa Lilly in 1907.  Service Record: Thomas served from 1883 to 1901 as Pte.738 with 1^st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, being posted to India and South Africa and awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal for service during the Second Anglo-Boer War.  From 1902 to 1905 he served as Pte.4360, later Pte.7917 of the Royal Garrison Regiment and from 1905 to 1907 as Pte.7084 with the Suffolk Regiment.  On 23.11.1914, at the age of 50 he enlisted again, receiving his discharge in February 1919.  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1936.[7]

Notes – [1] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for West District, London.  See also his Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363].  Date of death from the National Probate Calendar.  [2] Date of birth from Admission Register 4.9.1899, St Catherines Infants School, Long Melford.  For the Tribunal’s rulings see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 8.3.1916, 17.5.1916, 25.10.1916 and 28.3.1917.  For details of 1/5^th Suffolk’s part in the Palestine Campaign see War Diary [WO 95/4658] and Capt. A. Fair [mc] and Capt. E. D. Wolton [compiled by] “The Suffolk Regiment”: the history of the 1/5^th Battalion [London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1923], pp.53-83.  For 2/19^th London’s movements in Palestine see War Diary [WO 95/4928].  See also his Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  Date of death from the National Probate Calendar.  [3] See his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [4] See his Chelsea Hospital British Army Service Record [WO 97] to 1896.  [5] See his Chelsea Hospital British Army Service Record [WO 97] to 1898.  [6] See his Chelsea Hospital British Army Service Record [WO 97] to 1887.  [7] See his Soldiers’ Documents and Pension Claims, First World War [WO 364].