Great War Gallipoli Highland Mounted Brigade, Egypt Western Frontier Force, Suez Defence, and Palestine campaign, Second World War Home Front Special Constabulary long service group awarded to Private A.J. Harvey, 1st/1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, Territorial Force, later Machine Gun Corps, who saw service a Gallipoli from September 1915, and with the Western Frontier Force from February 1916. Having re-enlisted into the Machine Gun Corps in June 1916 he saw service with the Machine Gun Squadron of the 2nd Dismounted Brigade as a Vicker’s Machine Gun gunner, and in May 1918 transferred to the Headquarters of the 20th Corps when he was appointed the servant to Major Hutchinson, and therefore remained on service in Palestine, as his former brigade was instead sent to the Western Front. Presumably whilst still the servant of Hutchinson, he found himself attached to the Headquarters of the 53rd Welsh Division from June 1918, and was then posted to the 7th Indian Division in August 1918. During the 1930’s and through the Second World War he served as a Special Constable with the Police Special Constabulary.
Group of 5: 1914-1915 Star; (2419 PTE. A.J. HARVEY. FIFE & FORFAR.Y.); British War Medal and Victory Medal; (2419 PTE. A.J. HARVEY. FIFE & FORFAR. Y.); Defence Medal 1939-1945; Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, GVI 1st type bust, with addition ‘Long Service, 1949’ award bar; (ALBERT J. HARVEY)
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Together with a Machine Gun Corps other ranks cap badge, and a rare Fife Gallipoli Veteran’s Club attendance badge inscribed to ’R. Harvey F & F Yeo.’
Albert John Harvey was born in 1890 and lived in Kirkcaldy, Fife. With the Great War Harvey then enlisted into the British Army Territorial Force on 19th December 1914 at Kirkcaldy on 12th December 1914, joining as a Private (No.2419) the 1st/1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry. Harvey then embarked at Devonport on 7th September and disembarked at Suvla Bay on 26th September 1915, and then saw service at Gallipoli as part of the Highland Mounted Brigade. Sold together with the group is a rare Fife Gallipoli Veteran’s Club attendance badge, the only one of its form we have seen.
Harvey came down with dysentery at Gallipoli, and was admitted to the Scottish Horse Field Ambulance on 10th October 1915, and then to the 14th Casualty Clearing Station the following day, before being transferred to the base, and evacuated to Egypt where he was admitted to Kasr-el-ainy Hospital at Cairo on 15th October, and was transferred to the Convalescent Camp at Luxor on 19th November 1915. He rejoined his regiment on 19th January 1916, by which time it had been evacuated from Gallipoli to Egypt, and was then sent off as part of the Western Frontier Force. Harvey was discharged from the 1st/1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry whilst in Egypt on 21st June 1916, and then the following day he re-enlisted into the Machine Gun Corps as a Private (No.49575), and was posted to the Machine Gun Squadron of the 2nd Dismounted Brigade. He went on to specialise as a Vicker’s Machine Gun gunner.
As such he formed part of the Suez Canal Defences, and in January 1917 his brigade was re-titled the 229th Brigade, and his company became the 4th Machine Gun Company. With the 74th Division, the brigade took part in the invasion of Palestine in 1917 and 1918. It fought in the Second and Third Battles of Gaza (including the capture of Beersheba and the Sheria Position). At the end of 1917, it took part in the capture and defence of Jerusalem and in March 1918 in the Battle of Tell ‘Asur. On 3rd April 1918, the Division was warned that it would move to France and by 30th April 1918 had completed embarkation at Alexandria.
However Harvey had transferred to the 21st Machine Gun Squadron prior to embarkation, and then saw service with the 8th Mounted Brigade which was also bound for the Western Front, but once again prior to embarkation he transferred for duty with the Headquarters of the 20th Corps on 5th May 1918 when he was appointed the servant to Major Hutchinson, and therefore remained on service in Palestine. Presumably whilst still the servant of Hutchinson, he found himself attached to the Headquarters of the 53rd Welsh Division from 27th June 1918, and was then posted to the 7th Indian Division on 7th August 1918, before embarking for home from Port Said on 9th February 1919. Harvey was transferred to the Class ‘Z’ Reserve on 25th March 1919. During the 1930’s and through the Second World War he served as a Special Constable with the Police Special Constabulary.
