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Robert was born in Port Lincoln on the 11th August 1910 to Cora Mary (nee Dole) and Herbert William Harvey. He was one of eight children including Maxwell Roy, Herbert Edgar (Bert, Blondie), Avice, Darcy, Melva, Hinkler and Glenys.
Bob was a capable student, regularly appearing in the list of students who had passed their tests while at Port Lincoln School. He was a reliable back-line football player who had a reputation for being difficult to beat. Post school he became a professional fisherman, living at Lake Wangary on the Eyre Peninsula, just out of Port Lincoln. He was also part of the South Australian Fishermen’s League which was active in pursuing standard licences and other equitable conditions.
Robert married Emily Mary and the young couple had already started a family when war broke out. They were to have six children, three boys Jim, George and Ian and three daughters, Kay, Helen and Lesley.
With the outbreak of war, a huge drive ensued in country regions to encourage the fit young men to enlist. Bob’s 24-year-old brother Bert (Blondie) enlisted on 8th March, becoming SX1707 with the 2/10th. A month later, 29 year old Robert followed, enlisting on the 6th April ’40 and was also initially allocated to the 2/10th Battalion. As the war progressed their other brothers, 19 year old Darcy then enlisted on 13th Dec ’41 and Maxwell Roy S57112 on the 30th December ’41. Their sister, Melva was also later to join the W.A.A.A.Fs.
Robert’s official enlistment was at Wayville, now the Wayville Showgrounds on the 1st July, 1940, becoming SX7406. The new enlistees then headed to Woodside in the Adelaide Hills for further training. Granted pre-embarkation leave, the brothers headed home. Sergeant Bert was farewelled in a huge social held at the Port Lincoln Civic Hall which Bob was unable to attend. However, the Comforts Fund presented Bert with his own and Bob’s parcel, plus a gift for each from the Port Lincoln Primary School they had both attended. Their father, Herbert was one of those attending and his service in both the Boer War and as a Lance Corporal in WWI was noted.
The brothers travelled with the 2/10th Battalion on the Strathmore to the UK via Liverpool before heading to the Middle East. It was not until ’44 that Bob transferred to the 2/48th Battalion. In a wonderful move to keep families and friends informed of their ‘boys’ overseas, the West Coast Recorder regularly published letters. Whilst in the UK Bob’s brother, Bert ‘Blondie’ Harvey wrote home “We have been shifting camp for a couple of weeks and are now in barracks for the winter. It is good to be under a good solid roof again after being under canvas for so long, and we have every comfort here. We are developing a real English accent and call each other " Chum" and say " Aye Laad." He added “Bob and I are both well, but we are finding it very cold now. I will be growing hair on me like a polar bear if I do not get away from, here soon.”
By May, Bert had again written “I am on the Island of Crete now, keeping very well, and enjoying a quiet life, so far, after the turmoil of the last few weeks in Greece. Bob (brother) and I were separated about 10 days ago. He was in Greece on anti-aircraft defence work for an aerodrome, and I was doing guard duty at an ammunition dump. I have not seen him since, which is not surprising as we were many miles apart, and the evacuation of the country took place from numerous different ports. I had some pretty close shaves there. We were dive bombed and machine gunned continuously and spent as long as 6 hours in one day flat on our stomachs, unable to get up and make a dash for shelter.”
Bob also wrote an update sharing “I got out of Greece all right, but I have not been able to find Blondie (brother) since the evacuation. Greece is a lovely country, and the people were very good to us. They are very poor, but anxious to share what little they had. The girls are very attractive. Father should have been here to see Jerry's air raids. I will be able to match his yarns when I get back home. In Greece I was caught out in the open while our aerodrome was being strafed. I received a clip on the hand, and also one through my trouser leg. The boys reckon I did 200 yards in 10 seconds, and I broke my watch and false teeth when I dived into a trench. I am back in the desert again now, and it is starting to get warm again. Vic. Butler is here with me. He has had bad eyes and has been in hospital.”
Able Seaman Ted Bird also wrote about the evacuation from Greece, including that “Bob and Blondie Harvey were among those who fought in the rear-guard action. We gave them a good time on board and they were all in high spirits. They said they knew that they could depend on the Navy.” With this close encounter, it was a relief for the Harveys to receive a cable from Blondie that he, also was among those who were safely evacuated from Crete.
By March ’41 Blondie had again written. “Bob and I are still together. We are both well and enjoying the sunny weather immensely. The last letter we had from home was written in August and we have not received any papers or parcels yet. Please send all letters air mail as it only takes about 10 days and ordinary post takes about two months. We are hungry for news of home. We have seen quite a lot of the world since we left Australia, having visited most of the big places in England and Africa. We are looking forward to leave in Cairo, Alexandria, Tel-a-Viv or Jerusalem.” He added “Don't be worried if there is a break in my letters after a while, as Bob and I may be going out in the desert again too, shortly, and the postman does not call very often there.”
By this time Bob was a sergeant and wrote “We arrived here in Palestine three days ago. The sea trip from England was great. The weather is lovely after the snow in England. It is very quiet here and quite a change not to hear sirens going all the time. "Blondie" and I are going on a day’s leave tomorrow to have a look around. He has grown a small moustache. We are camped near a small village of Arabs. They are the world’s worst cadgers and will steal anything and everything.”
For those serving overseas, parcels were much appreciated. Bob wrote to the Port Lincoln Social Club in July ’41. “I received your very welcome letter containing a Christmas card and canteen order this morning (June 14) and am writing to let you know how much the lads appreciate the grand work the Social Club is doing. These small gifts may not seem much to people back home, but to us over here so far away, they come as a very pleasant surprise, and most of all they let us know that no matter where we are or what the odds are against us there is always someone at home thinking of our comfort and well-being. My letter followed me from Australia to England, then to Palestine, across to Egypt and from there to Greece, back to Egypt and across here to Palestine again. Some of the other lads received theirs months ago and I was beginning to think that I had been missed; so the multi-addressed envelope came as a very pleasant surprise after so long. I had not received any mail for nearly eight months, but I have no complaints now as I received 63 letters in the past seven days.” Bob then gave an extensive list of the locals he had seen, concluding with “We all send our regards to all at home and would like to express our sympathy here to anyone who may lose their loved ones, and let them know that no matter what happens, we will be carrying on the good work, ever confident of final victory.”
That month, Bob again wrote. “We are out of the lines having a rest now and the break is very acceptable. Yesterday we went for a swim, the first wash for a fortnight. We get plenty of water to drink, but we just forget about washing. This Libyan desert blows past at the rate of 200 acres a day, so you can guess what we look like. I have been unable to locate Blondy since I got back from Greece.” He then adds that “Mac (Maclntyre). who was secretary of the Fishermen's League, is here too. While we were down for a swim, he and I went fishing with a few hand grenades, but had no luck. That would probably make Bill Randall's heart ache.” He concludes with “Today I received parcels from you sent for Christmas. They have been travelling around trying to catch up with me. Anything in the way of little extras in this desert are very welcome. Things are quiet here at present. We have had a good rest, but I am inclined to think we will soon be at it again.”
Still in Tobruk in August, Bob wrote wryly that “According to the news, we are breaking all sorts of records sitting in this hole. I heard that we recently had our thousandth air raid. I would prefer not to be a record breaker. Here are some of the records that they did not mention— The most dirt I have ever swallowed; the most flies I have ever seen; the biggest fleas in Libya; the world's worst dust storms; the least beer I have ever had. Today is a splendid example of our weather—hot with plenty of dust; but the nights are lovely and cool. I received a letter from "Lefty" Poole yesterday. He is keeping well. I was going to try and see him, but I think we will be going back into the front lines again before I have time. Vic Butler is on a bren gun here. He kicks up a fuss when he has to clean it; as soon as he does, the wind blows up the dust and the gun is just as dirty as ever.”
A further letter received in September outlined the desert conditions. “Most of our work consists of going out on patrols. It is a great sensation to be out in no man's land when the Verey lights go up. The Italians are very nervous at night time. When disturbed, they open up with all their guns. One patrol I was with got behind their lines and we had great fun getting out. We were pinned to the ground under-fire from their Lewis machine guns; then they opened up with their mortars and dropped the lot on the machine gun post. We hurried off and left them to it. I would like to have heard them when they found out that they had bombed some of their own crowd. It is terribly hot today and I am going to try and get down for a swim later on. It is not difficult to get a ride down to the beach.”
Sadder news was treated briefly. “The news that Trev. Edwards has been found is remarkable. We had given him up for lost here. I find that a couple more Port Lincoln boys have been killed. It comes as a shock to go down the line looking for someone, only to find that he has met his end a week ago or more. It is my birthday tomorrow. Fancy spending it in a place like this.” However, when the occasion allowed, the Lincoln boys would have a reunion and celebrate together.
Whilst having heard or read about of many of the features of the Middle East, to see and experience these was exceptional. Bob, on leave in September, wrote “1 have just come back from two days' leave at Jerusalem. The Jews at the Wailing Wall amused us. They kick up a great row reciting prayers and howling like anything. We saw all the sights and did the journey to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea. The Jordan Valley is very hot and oppressive. The Dead Sea is 1,500 feet below sea level and surrounded by mountains, comprising some of the wildest country I have ever seen —mountain upon mountain with nothing at all growing on them. I had a swim in the Dead Sea, and it was quite an experience. When I kicked my feet they came out of the water. It is impossible to tread water, as your feet gradually get away from you and come to the surface. I lifted both my arms and feet out of the water and still floated. It has to be seen to be believed. I don't think you could sink in it if you tried.”
Still in Syria, in October Bob wrote that “Life is not too strenuous at the moment and I am still doing all right. We have a good camp and good food; that is all that matters. We have had quite a number of local papers in the mail lately and have caught up with the news—that is, up to the end of July.” By the end of the year, ‘Blondie’ became attached to the tugs and lighters section of the Middle East Forces. Having been with Bob for much of the war he explained “I have not heard from Bob or any of the other lads for a good while so would like you to keep sending me cuttings of the letters from the "Recorder" so that I can keep in touch with their doings.” In his final letter home from the Middle East, Bob wrote “The weather has been so cold lately that I think it has been a record for this country. Last night we had another fall of snow. The sun has been shining brightly today, and it is getting sticky underfoot where the snow has melted. I am writing this letter at an outpost. I have not received any mail for a month, so when it turns up, I should have a large bundle of letters to answer.” This missive to his parents arrived home after Bob finally left the Middle East and had arrived home. Besides his letter, he was also met by what the newspapers described as ‘one of the largest gatherings seen in the Coulta Hall for some considerable time, extended a welcome home to 6 soldiers of the A.I.F. from overseas’. Promoted to Sergeant, Bob was one of the six welcomed guests who were congratulated on their safe return. In responding on behalf of the others, Bob commented how pleased they all were to be home again, and emphasized their pride in doing their share in the defence of Australia.
In a fitting tribute Private Nick McKelvie, SX12720 wrote to his parents praising the leadership skills of Bob. “I have never been able to catch up with Bob (Harvey), but from what I have heard you should be proud of him. I have been talking to several boys from his unit and they say that he would never send them anywhere that he would not go himself—and believe me, they seem to have been in some pretty warm places at times. I was pleased to hear that Bob is a Sergeant again. The boys reckoned that he certainly earned his stripes.” This comment was to also be born out in incidents occurring later in New Guinea.
By June Bob was training in Queensland, letting his family know he was fit and well with both he and Blondie appreciating Australian conditions after the sandy deserts of the Middle East. Back home the locals from Coulta organised a living tribute to those who served from their community. Bob’s young son, George was chosen to plant a tree in his father’s honour. However, by November ’42 both Bob and Blondie were in hospital, Blondie from the partial paralysis of his foot sustained overseas and Bob from fever contracted in New Guinea, having fought at Milne Bay
In his book Tobruk to Tarakan John Glenn describes an offensive to capture Tank Farm which dominated the beach. When the enemy had been encountered at the Roach feature D Company, moved forward. ‘in the action that followed eleven Japs were killed and Finch was occupied by 17 Platoon under Lieutenant Harvey at 11 am, one man being slightly wounded.’
Whilst in New Guinea, Bob also undertook a map reading course in Feb ’45 before returning to his 2/48th Battalion. In a remarkable feat of compassion 22nd May ’45 in Tarakan platoons were pinned down in the approach to Track Junction Knoll. Being unable to advance, ‘under Lieutenant Harvey’s orders they withdrew, only to find, after somehow or other extricating themselves from a seemingly impossible position, that one man was missing. Lieutenant Harvey then took a party of volunteers back into the face of withering fire to look for him, found him lying wounded, drove past him, and engaged the enemy until the wounded man had been rescued.’
Bob contracted several bouts of Malaria which was complicated by injuring the cruciate ligament in his right knee, an injury that had frustrated him for some time resulting in hospitalisation at Kapara early in ’46 before he was finally discharged in February. The following year, Bob was also Mentioned in Dispatches in May ‘47. He had earned the 1939/45 Star, African Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal, War Medal and Australian Service Medal which arrived in ’53.
Aged 75 he died on the 11th March 1986 and is commemorated in the Happy Valley Cemetery at Port Lincoln.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.