The AIF Project

Robert Marines HARVEY

Regimental number2503
Place of birthStepney, London, England
SchoolYarraville State School, Victoria
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationLabourer
AddressSomerville Road, West Footscray, Victoria
Marital statusMarried
Age at embarkation23
Height5' 7.5"
Weight142 lbs
Next of kinWife, Mrs M Harvey, Somerville Road, West Footscray, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed in the Garrison Artillery (discharged at own request on 31 July 1915 after 1 year 7 months service); Footscray Rifle Club (still serving at time of AIF enlistment).
Enlistment date29 May 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name6th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/23/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A64 Demosthenes on 16 July 1915
Rank from Nominal RollSergeant
Unit from Nominal Roll58th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles)
Age at death35
Age at death from cemetery records35
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration details V.C. Corner (Panel No 13), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
165
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: William and Grace HARVEY; husband of Mary HARAVEY, Somerville Road, West Footscray, Victoria
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Joined 6th Bn, Lemnos, 31 October 1915.

Disembarked Alexandria, ex-Lemnos, 7 January 1916 (general Gallipoli evacuation).

Transferred to 58th Bn, 17 February 1916; taken on strength of 58th Bn, Serapeum, 17 February 1916.

Promoted Corporal, Tel el Kebir, 22 February 1916; Sergeant, Ferry Post, 15 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 September 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Note on B.103, 'buried in vicinity of Fleurbaix'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 5099968, 2717 Pte J.R. McCormick, 58th Bn, 6 December 1916: 'We went over the top about ten minutes to seven in the evening at Fleurbaix, and when we had got about 50 yds. out in No Man's Land, I saw Sgt. Harvey killed by M.G. Fire (sic). We had to retire but it was very difficult getting back, the firing being so heavy, and I was myself out all night. I do not know anything about Sgt. Harvey's body being got in or about his burial.'

Second statement, 3144A J. SALT, 58th Bn, C Company, 58th Bn (patient, 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford, England), 12 February 1917: 'I knew Sergt Harvey (58. A.) attached Grenadiers. All the Grenadiers know that he was killed on July 19th out in No Man's Land during the charge at Fromelles. The German lines were 500 yards from us, and we only got as far as their wire, and then we came back.'

Third statement, 2228 Pte S.S. ROBERTSON, 58th Bn (patient, No 1 Australian General Hospital, Rouen), 26 February 1917: 'He belonged to A. Coy. We went over that Evening (sic). The attack was an utter failure, our Casualties (sic) being very heavy. I saw him lying out in "No Man's Land," wounded. I passed close to him, and as I passed he waved his arm. I know no more.'

Third statement, 2412 Pte M. O'CONNOR, 58th Bn, 1 March 1917: 'He was my Grenade Sgt. in A. Co. team. On 19.7.16 he went over in the charge from [the] same bay as my self (sic) and I cannot give any details after I got hiy but up to that time I remember him giving an order that was about 250 yards from our starting point; I was hit about 50 yards further on. Sgt. Harvey was still goingthen[;] I am sorry this is all I can say with certainty ... '

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, HARVEY Robert Marines
Red Cross file 5099968

Print format    


© The AIF Project 2024, UNSW Canberra. Not to be reproduced without permission.