Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Cecil Thomas Harvey was born in Prospect Hill SA, he was born sin approximately February 1897. Harvey’s occupation before enlisting was a labourer. Since Harvey was young when he enlisted, being 19 years old, he didn’t have any other military experience. Harvey had a father, Thomas Charles Harvey.   Harvey enlisted in Yorketown on the 11th of January.  He boarded the HMAT A19 Afric on 9 June 1916. 

Harvey’s life in the war was very busy and he moved around a lot.  Harvey was sent to Hospital in Bulford, England for illness on the 21st of January 1918.  Harvey was in the hospital. 9 days after being admitted into the hospital (30th of January) he transferred from 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, Bulford to Park House Depot.   After 2 months and 3 days (2nd of April) he transferred to Depot in No. 1 Com Dep (No. 1 Command Depot) in Sutton Veny, he left a day later, since this was in April, he missed fighting in the German Spring Offensive because he was in the Park House during the time it was fought (March 1).   A month and 17 days later (20th of May), Harvey moved in from No. 1 Command Depot Sutton Veny to Longbridge Deverill to train since that is where the soldiers who had recovered from illness and wounds trained for a return to active service.  While Harvey was in Sutton Veny (UK), Villers Bretonneux took place (April 24 in France).  3 weeks and 2 days after Harvey moved to Longbridge Deverill, he moved out overseas via Longbridge Deverill (12th of June), which means the training centre took him back into action.  3 days being abroad he marched in (arrived) from England and landed in Havre, France. 2 days later he marched out to the unit.  The day after that, he re-joined the 43rd battalion (18th of June), while they were in Le Hamel, France, they were stationed though because that battle started the 4th of July.  2 months and 11 days after he re-joined, and 2 months and 4 days after fighting in the Hamal battle, he was temporarily promoted to Sergeant.  Harvey may have been promoted after the battle of Hamal since they won.  It could have been a bigger deal because before that Hamal was taken over by the Germans.  But 2 weeks and 3 days after being promoted he was reverted to a private (25th September).  Possible reasons he reverted was most likely because the Battalion didn’t need him or because he was too young.  Harvey was one of the youngest to embark in the 43rd battalion.  3 months and 7 days later he started his leave (January 1st, 1919).  This is where Harvey may have met his soon-to-be wife Agnes (if he didn’t know her already).  His leave lasted 30 days.  6 months and 22 days after, he finally left the war permanently (July 23rd). 

During the war, Harvey’s marriage was set up while he was stationed in England, since his marriage certificate was dated before he took leave (it was the 16th of May 1919). When he got married, he was 21, his occupation was a plumber, and his father was still alive.  His wife Agnus was a housekeeper, she was 23 when they got married.  This means that Harvey could have had a fast relationship and met while he was on leave from January 1st to the 30th in 1919.  They had their marriage close to when he returned because he returned on the 23rd of July 1919 and they got married on the 16th of May in the same year.

Not much is known about Harvey after the war, only that he came back alive after the Peace Signing, he was a plumber and that he died on 11 July 1967 in Adelaide.  Harvey’s service didn’t go unnoticed though, his name and many others went onto the Yorktown memorial in the Town Hall (of Yorktown).  Overall, Harvey's life in the war was smooth sailings, not being wounded and only going to the hospital once.  Harvey along with everyone in the 1st World War will be remembered for there, resilience and courage.