Name
John Scripps
1873
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/09/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19839
Hampshire Regiment
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KARASOULI MILITARY CEMETERY
C. 604.
Greece
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Barley Village Memorial, St Margaret's Church Memorial, Barley, Not on the Barkway Memorials
Pre War
John Scripps was born in 1873 in Barkway, Hertfordshire, the son of David Scripps an Agricultural Labourer and Eliza Scripps (nee Dale). One of their twelve children.
His parents were married on 25th April 1863, in Barkway, Herts.
John was Baptised on 9th August 1874 in the Parish of Barkway, Herts.
On the 1881 Census John aged 8, is at school, living with his parents, four brothers and three sisters, at Shaftenhoe End Road, Barley, Herts. His father was working as an Agricultural Labourer.
1891 Census, John (17) was working as an Agricultural Labourer, living with his parents, four Brothers and two Sisters Eliza (13) and Ada (9) at Smiths End, nr Barley, Herts.
John enlisted in Royston, Herts, on 27th December 1892, in the Bedfordshire Regiment, for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve and issued with the reg. no. 4319. He served at Home with the 2nd Battalion, transferred to the 1st Battalion on 27th September 1894, and posted to India, while in India he was part of the relief force that relived the Fort at Chital, which was under siege after a local coup. He was awarded the India Medal 1895 with the Relief of Chital Clasp 1895. While in India he extended his service to twelve years with the Colours. In February 1902, he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion and posted to South Africa, during the Second Boer War, until September 1902, when he returned home on 16th September 1902. He was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with the Transvaal and Orange Free state Clasps. John was discharged on 26th December 1904, on completion of 12 years’ service with the colours.
John married Lilian Agnes Ford the daughter of Charles and Emma Ford of Arundel, Sussex, on 6th May 1907, at St Michael's Church, Wood Green, Haringey, London (in the presence of his younger brother Albert Scripps). Their daughter Margaret Kathleen was born on 21st September 1910.
1911 Census records John (37) married to Lilian (29), they have a 6-month-old daughter, recorded as Marjorie Kathleen (Register of Births, record her as Margaret Kathleen Scripps), living at 18 Winkfield Road, Wood Green, Middx.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of the war John enlisted in Tottenham, London (N.B. his sister Elizabeth Green, lived with her family at 20 Carew Road, Tottenham, London).
Posted to the Hampshire Regiment and issued with the Service No. 19389. (SDITGW record Formerly 22157 with the Bedfordshire Regiment, no documents were found to confirm this). On completion of his training he was sent to the Balkan Theatre, arriving in October 1915.
He was wounded in action and died of his wounds on 6th September 1918, aged 45, he is buried in Karasouli Military Cemetery, Greece. Grave Ref; C. 604.
Additional Information
His sister Elizabeth Green received his war gratuity of £14 10s 00d, and his pay owing of £23 19s 00d. She was also awarded a pension of 10 shillings a week as guardian to his daughter Margaret Kathleen, born in 1910. N.B. note on the pension records indicates this is a 'motherless rate' due to an 'unworthy wife'.
Sister Elizabeth Green also obtained probate of his estate in London on 4 April 1919, with effects of £42 11s 00d.
His service record for the Bedfordshire Regiment 1892 to 1904, is available on line at Find My Past UK. www.findmypast.co.uk
His brother Guardsman 12576 Arthur Frederick Scripps, of the Grenadier Guards, died on 3rd November 1918. He is buried in Delsaux Farm Cemetery, Beugny, France.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Stuart Osborne
Paul Johnson, Adrian Pitts
