Harvey enlisted for WW1 on 27/7/1915 in Melbourne, when he was 22 and a half years old. He was 170 cm tall, weighed 73 kg, had grey eyes, brown hair, and had two tattoos, one on his left upper arm and the other on his right forearm. His serial number was 4459. He listed his occupation as nurseryman and florist. He listed his mum as his next of kin, with her address being 126 Wellington Street, Kew. There is a reference to him serving two years with the 29th Light Horse as a Sergeant Major before the war, either with the regular army or militia.
He left Australia on 18/2/1916 and arrived in Egypt on 23/3/1916. He was transferred to 5th Division Cyclist at Tel-el-Kebir on 16/4/1916. On 10/5/1916 he was promoted to Sergeant and on 19/6/1916 he went to join the B.E.F. By 23/7/1916 he was in France detached to the APMNZ Cyclists Division. He was on leave in France from 6/12/1916 returned on 18/12/1916. He then went 'sick to hospital while on detachment' still in France, on 23/1/1917. He was VDG admitted on 24/1/1917 and discharge to his unit on 14/3/1917. There are numerous references him being part of the '2nd Anzac Cyclists Battalion.'
On 5/5/1917 he was wounded in action with a bullet wound to his left shoulder. He was transferred to Dartford Hospital on 29/6/1917. On 24/10/1917 he landed back in France and re-joined his unit. He was back in the field on 1/11/1917 and detached to 3rd Otago Battalion on 20/11/1917. He re-joined his own unit on 25/11/1917. On 16/1/1918 he was transferred to Australian Corps Cyclists Battalion. On 9/3/1918 (still in France), he was detached to the Australian Corps Infantry school for a 'course of instruction. On 28/3/1918, he re-joined his battalion from the Infantry school.
On 1/6/1918, he left the Cyclist unit and joined the 46th Battalion AIF. He was wounded in action on 19/8/1918 at ADS Bayonviller from "Shrapnel wounds multiple" including a fractured right femur. He was buried on 20/8/1918 however this detail is then crossed out in red lines. His correct grave is listed on the following page. His remains were later exhumed and reinterred at Viller Bretonneux in 1920. His initial grave was the Chalk Pits British Cemetery being 1.5 miles south of Corbie.
His mum was advised of the complete details of Harvey's death in an AIF letter dated 19/2/1919, four months after he had died, and after the war was over.
The AIF wrote to his mum on 17/3/1919 in reply to her 14/3/1919 letter about her son's personal effects that were sent to her, with his ID disc missing. (This was in reply to her earlier letter she had sent to them noting that "it is now six months since my son's death (namely 19th August) and I have not been advised as to his personal belongings"). She noted his ID disc was missing and she asked if she could have it. The AIF replied in writing that "it would appear that the disc … was omitted … in England" where the package was put together. The personal effects package letter said it contained 'disc, photos, whistle, YMCA wallet, fountain pen.'
His mum signed for his British War Medal on 21/2/1924. His dad signed for his dead man's penny/memorial plaque on 25/2/1923. There is handwriting from an unknown person on the receipt stating 'The plaque is most beautiful', with the word beautiful underlined. His dad signed for his Victory Medal on 22/2/1923 and the memorial scroll on 20/4/1922.
Contributor: AVS (50556250)
He left Australia on 18/2/1916 and arrived in Egypt on 23/3/1916. He was transferred to 5th Division Cyclist at Tel-el-Kebir on 16/4/1916. On 10/5/1916 he was promoted to Sergeant and on 19/6/1916 he went to join the B.E.F. By 23/7/1916 he was in France detached to the APMNZ Cyclists Division. He was on leave in France from 6/12/1916 returned on 18/12/1916. He then went 'sick to hospital while on detachment' still in France, on 23/1/1917. He was VDG admitted on 24/1/1917 and discharge to his unit on 14/3/1917. There are numerous references him being part of the '2nd Anzac Cyclists Battalion.'
On 5/5/1917 he was wounded in action with a bullet wound to his left shoulder. He was transferred to Dartford Hospital on 29/6/1917. On 24/10/1917 he landed back in France and re-joined his unit. He was back in the field on 1/11/1917 and detached to 3rd Otago Battalion on 20/11/1917. He re-joined his own unit on 25/11/1917. On 16/1/1918 he was transferred to Australian Corps Cyclists Battalion. On 9/3/1918 (still in France), he was detached to the Australian Corps Infantry school for a 'course of instruction. On 28/3/1918, he re-joined his battalion from the Infantry school.
On 1/6/1918, he left the Cyclist unit and joined the 46th Battalion AIF. He was wounded in action on 19/8/1918 at ADS Bayonviller from "Shrapnel wounds multiple" including a fractured right femur. He was buried on 20/8/1918 however this detail is then crossed out in red lines. His correct grave is listed on the following page. His remains were later exhumed and reinterred at Viller Bretonneux in 1920. His initial grave was the Chalk Pits British Cemetery being 1.5 miles south of Corbie.
His mum was advised of the complete details of Harvey's death in an AIF letter dated 19/2/1919, four months after he had died, and after the war was over.
The AIF wrote to his mum on 17/3/1919 in reply to her 14/3/1919 letter about her son's personal effects that were sent to her, with his ID disc missing. (This was in reply to her earlier letter she had sent to them noting that "it is now six months since my son's death (namely 19th August) and I have not been advised as to his personal belongings"). She noted his ID disc was missing and she asked if she could have it. The AIF replied in writing that "it would appear that the disc … was omitted … in England" where the package was put together. The personal effects package letter said it contained 'disc, photos, whistle, YMCA wallet, fountain pen.'
His mum signed for his British War Medal on 21/2/1924. His dad signed for his dead man's penny/memorial plaque on 25/2/1923. There is handwriting from an unknown person on the receipt stating 'The plaque is most beautiful', with the word beautiful underlined. His dad signed for his Victory Medal on 22/2/1923 and the memorial scroll on 20/4/1922.
Contributor: AVS (50556250)
Harvey enlisted for WW1 on 27/7/1915 in Melbourne, when he was 22 and a half years old. He was 170 cm tall, weighed 73 kg, had grey eyes, brown hair, and had two tattoos, one on his left upper arm and the other on his right forearm. His serial number was 4459. He listed his occupation as nurseryman and florist. He listed his mum as his next of kin, with her address being 126 Wellington Street, Kew. There is a reference to him serving two years with the 29th Light Horse as a Sergeant Major before the war, either with the regular army or militia.
He left Australia on 18/2/1916 and arrived in Egypt on 23/3/1916. He was transferred to 5th Division Cyclist at Tel-el-Kebir on 16/4/1916. On 10/5/1916 he was promoted to Sergeant and on 19/6/1916 he went to join the B.E.F. By 23/7/1916 he was in France detached to the APMNZ Cyclists Division. He was on leave in France from 6/12/1916 returned on 18/12/1916. He then went 'sick to hospital while on detachment' still in France, on 23/1/1917. He was VDG admitted on 24/1/1917 and discharge to his unit on 14/3/1917. There are numerous references him being part of the '2nd Anzac Cyclists Battalion.'
On 5/5/1917 he was wounded in action with a bullet wound to his left shoulder. He was transferred to Dartford Hospital on 29/6/1917. On 24/10/1917 he landed back in France and re-joined his unit. He was back in the field on 1/11/1917 and detached to 3rd Otago Battalion on 20/11/1917. He re-joined his own unit on 25/11/1917. On 16/1/1918 he was transferred to Australian Corps Cyclists Battalion. On 9/3/1918 (still in France), he was detached to the Australian Corps Infantry school for a 'course of instruction. On 28/3/1918, he re-joined his battalion from the Infantry school.
On 1/6/1918, he left the Cyclist unit and joined the 46th Battalion AIF. He was wounded in action on 19/8/1918 at ADS Bayonviller from "Shrapnel wounds multiple" including a fractured right femur. He was buried on 20/8/1918 however this detail is then crossed out in red lines. His correct grave is listed on the following page. His remains were later exhumed and reinterred at Viller Bretonneux in 1920. His initial grave was the Chalk Pits British Cemetery being 1.5 miles south of Corbie.
His mum was advised of the complete details of Harvey's death in an AIF letter dated 19/2/1919, four months after he had died, and after the war was over.
The AIF wrote to his mum on 17/3/1919 in reply to her 14/3/1919 letter about her son's personal effects that were sent to her, with his ID disc missing. (This was in reply to her earlier letter she had sent to them noting that "it is now six months since my son's death (namely 19th August) and I have not been advised as to his personal belongings"). She noted his ID disc was missing and she asked if she could have it. The AIF replied in writing that "it would appear that the disc … was omitted … in England" where the package was put together. The personal effects package letter said it contained 'disc, photos, whistle, YMCA wallet, fountain pen.'
His mum signed for his British War Medal on 21/2/1924. His dad signed for his dead man's penny/memorial plaque on 25/2/1923. There is handwriting from an unknown person on the receipt stating 'The plaque is most beautiful', with the word beautiful underlined. His dad signed for his Victory Medal on 22/2/1923 and the memorial scroll on 20/4/1922.
Contributor: AVS (50556250)
He left Australia on 18/2/1916 and arrived in Egypt on 23/3/1916. He was transferred to 5th Division Cyclist at Tel-el-Kebir on 16/4/1916. On 10/5/1916 he was promoted to Sergeant and on 19/6/1916 he went to join the B.E.F. By 23/7/1916 he was in France detached to the APMNZ Cyclists Division. He was on leave in France from 6/12/1916 returned on 18/12/1916. He then went 'sick to hospital while on detachment' still in France, on 23/1/1917. He was VDG admitted on 24/1/1917 and discharge to his unit on 14/3/1917. There are numerous references him being part of the '2nd Anzac Cyclists Battalion.'
On 5/5/1917 he was wounded in action with a bullet wound to his left shoulder. He was transferred to Dartford Hospital on 29/6/1917. On 24/10/1917 he landed back in France and re-joined his unit. He was back in the field on 1/11/1917 and detached to 3rd Otago Battalion on 20/11/1917. He re-joined his own unit on 25/11/1917. On 16/1/1918 he was transferred to Australian Corps Cyclists Battalion. On 9/3/1918 (still in France), he was detached to the Australian Corps Infantry school for a 'course of instruction. On 28/3/1918, he re-joined his battalion from the Infantry school.
On 1/6/1918, he left the Cyclist unit and joined the 46th Battalion AIF. He was wounded in action on 19/8/1918 at ADS Bayonviller from "Shrapnel wounds multiple" including a fractured right femur. He was buried on 20/8/1918 however this detail is then crossed out in red lines. His correct grave is listed on the following page. His remains were later exhumed and reinterred at Viller Bretonneux in 1920. His initial grave was the Chalk Pits British Cemetery being 1.5 miles south of Corbie.
His mum was advised of the complete details of Harvey's death in an AIF letter dated 19/2/1919, four months after he had died, and after the war was over.
The AIF wrote to his mum on 17/3/1919 in reply to her 14/3/1919 letter about her son's personal effects that were sent to her, with his ID disc missing. (This was in reply to her earlier letter she had sent to them noting that "it is now six months since my son's death (namely 19th August) and I have not been advised as to his personal belongings"). She noted his ID disc was missing and she asked if she could have it. The AIF replied in writing that "it would appear that the disc … was omitted … in England" where the package was put together. The personal effects package letter said it contained 'disc, photos, whistle, YMCA wallet, fountain pen.'
His mum signed for his British War Medal on 21/2/1924. His dad signed for his dead man's penny/memorial plaque on 25/2/1923. There is handwriting from an unknown person on the receipt stating 'The plaque is most beautiful', with the word beautiful underlined. His dad signed for his Victory Medal on 22/2/1923 and the memorial scroll on 20/4/1922.
Contributor: AVS (50556250)
Inscription
"The Beloved Son of Mr and Mrs H.H. Chesshire of Kew, Victoria"
Gravesite Details
Sergeant, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Age: 25.
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