Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Arthur Harvey was born on 18 July 1881, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk to parents Frederick George, an engine driver, and Louisa Jane (nee Todd).  In 1891, the family were living at 73 St Andrews Street, Bury St Edmunds.  In 1901, Arthur was living at 20 Asplins Road, Tottenham with his brother Amos and his family and gave his occupation as a van lad.

Arthur was one of 13 children.  His siblings were Amos (1876); Edith (1877); Mary (1879); Claude (1884); Violet (1885); Ernest (1887); Daisy (1888); William V (1890); Frederick A (1892); Frank H (1896); Ruby (1898) and Lily (1899).

Arthur was serving with the 3^rd Suffolk Regiment Territorial Force when he attested to join the Army Service Corps (ASC) as a Driver on 30 March 1904 in Bury St Edmunds.  He was aged 18 years and three months and he was described as being 5 ft 3¼ ins tall, weighing 115lbs, was of fresh complexion, with hazel eyes, brown hair and a scar on his forehead.  He joined for three years’ initial service and nine years’ reserve service.  Shortly after joining the ASC he requested to be transferred to the West Riding Regiment where he served as a Private in the 3^rd Reserve Battalion.  Arthur served in India between January 1906 and March 1908.

On 7 November 1908 Staff Sergeant Harvey transferred to the Army Reserve for the unexpired term of his original enlistment.  He joined Section A of the 1^st Class Army Reserve Duke of Wellington Regiment in Cambridge in early 1911 and was released on “expiration of engagement” in November 1912.

Arthur married Eliza Golding in Cambridge on 5 October 1909.  They had two children Ronald Thurston (1910) and Queenie Kitty (1914), both born in Cambridge.

In 1911 Arthur and Eliza were living at 23 York Street, Cambridge with their son, Ronald, and also Phoebe and Laura Golding, Eliza’s younger sister.  Arthur was employed as an insurance agent for Pearl Life.

Arthur was mobilised in Halifax on 5 August 1914, and on 31 August 1914 he was posted to France until 3 April 1915 and again from 21 June 1917 until 21 June 1919.

Arthur was promoted to Sergeant on 28 September 1914, appointed to the rank of Acting Company Quartermaster on 25 November 1914 and promoted to Company Quartermaster on 17 September 1918.  In his service record Arthur is described as “regular, temperate, honest, sober, reliable, a first class  … a gallant soldier in the field has been decorated for bravery and conspicuous gallantry DCM”.  (Although Arthur’s service record has survived, it is not in good condition and is difficult to read).  Arthur was awarded both the Military Medal and Distinguished Conduct Medal and also the 1914 Bronze Star and 1914 Clasp and Roses, British War and Allied Victory medals and the Territorial Efficiency Medal for long service.

The Mayor of Cambridge presented QMS Harvey with his medals on Saturday 19 July 1919 as part of Cambridge’s Peace Day celebrations.

“The Mayor afterwards, in Tent K, presented the Mons Star, the DCM and the MM to QMS Arthur Harvey, West Riding Regiment.  QMS Harvey was awarded the DCM for conspicuous gallantry at the Menin Road in collecting by himself 16 wounded men and placing them in an ambulance wagon.  This was done under continuous shrapnel fire, when the 1st and 4th Brigades of the Prussian Guards tried to break through the Ypres salient on November 11th 1914.  He received the Military Medal for diving under heavy shell fire, into the river Scarpe during the attack on the Hindenberg Lines at 2am on October 17th 1918 and saving a man from drowning.” Cambridge Independent Press 25 July 1919.  

Following the end of the First World War, Arthur signed up to the Territorial Force joining the 1^st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment where he served as a Sergeant until 28 February 1933.  On 12 October 1929, Sergeant Harvey became entitled to the Territorial Efficiency Medal for long service.

In 1939, Arthur and Eliza Harvey were living at 23 York Street, Cambridge.  Arthur was employed as a railway guard.  Arthur died in Cambridge on 8 August 1964, aged 83.

Arthur’s younger brother William Victor Harvey was killed in action in France on 23 July 1917.  He was serving with the 5^th Battalion of the King’s Liverpool Regiment.

Please get in touch if you can you tell us anything more about Arthur Harvey.