Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Robert Harvey, a solicitor, born 1855 in Leicester (son on Joseph Harvey and Jane Harvey) and his wife Amelia Maria Catharina Harvey (nee Jordens), born 1863 in Java, Dutch Indies. Robert Clive was born on the 12th January 1896 in Leicester, in March 1901 the family home was at Charlcote House, Leicester. In April 1911, Robert was absent from the family home at Uplands, Rothley, Leicestershire, residing there was his mother and brother, George Jordens, a solicitors articled clerk, born 1892 in Leicester.
Robert’s Army enlistment documents were not researched, and as such all that is known of his military service is that he was commissioned into the Leicestershire Regiment, and was posted as a 2nd Lieutenant to the 1/4th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment, a Territorial Force Battalion, and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 3rd March 1915. He was reported to have been killed in action on the 13th October 1915 during the assault on the Hohenzollern Redoubt, his body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France. Robert was awarded the 1914-15 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
On Saturday May 8th 1915 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “THE WAR.” – LIEUTENANT HARVEY’S CONDITION. Leicester people will be very glad to learn that Lieutenant Harvey, of the 4th Leicester’s (Territorial’s), who was on Thursday week reported to be in a critical condition in the military hospital at Boulogne, is now making good progress. He was shot through the head, and the bullet was extracted by Major Milbourne-West. Lieut. Harvey is now in a hospital in London, which on Wednesday was visited by the King and Queen, who cordially shook hands with the patients.
The War Diary records: 13 Oct-15 - At noon our artillery started to bombard. At 1.00pm our smoke and gas started. At 1.50pm smoke and gas stopped. At 2.00pm artillery lifted and Battalion assaulted the HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT. Lieutenant Colonel R. E. MARTIN was wounded early but remained in the fire trench directing operations for nearly 24 hours and until -?- to the dressing station by Brigadier General KEMP. All officers of the Battalion either killed or wounded.
The War Diary records: 12 Oct-15 - At 9.00 am Battalion marched to SAILLY LABOURSE. Dinners and teas were cooked here. Rations for 134 men issued. At 5.15 pm Battalion marched to VERMELLES where stores were taken up. At 11.00 pm Battalion arrived in trenches.
The War Diary records: 13 Oct-15 - At noon our artillery started to bombard. At 1.00pm our smoke and gas started. At 1.50pm smoke and gas stopped. At 2.00pm artillery lifted and Battalion assaulted the HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT. Lieutenant Colonel R. E. MARTIN was wounded early but remained in the fire trench directing operations for nearly 24 hours and until -?- to the dressing station by Brigadier General KEMP. All officers of the Battalion either killed or wounded.
The War Diary records: 14 Oct-15 - In the evening the Battalion was relieved by part of the 139th Brigade and went back to the LANCASHIRE TRENCH. Roll call revealed that 188 NCO’s and men returned.
The Official History of the War – Military Operations (France and Belgium 1915 Volume II) provided the following statistics for the 1/4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, officers killed 20, other ranks killed 453. Total losses for the day were 138th Brigade 64 officers and 1,476 other ranks. 137th Brigade 68 officers and 1,478 other ranks.
On Wednesday, October 20th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – 1st-4th LEICESTER’S IN ACTION. – HEAVY CASUALTIES. – Eight Officers Killed. – It is with profound regret that we have to confirm the rumours that have been so persistently in circulation the last few days, that the 1st/4th Leicester’s have suffered severe losses. The battalion was in action on October 13, and how they suffered may be judged from the list of officers whose deaths have been officially notified to their relatives. The receipt of the news yesterday caused a painful sensation in the town, and the sympathy of all will go out to the relatives of those who have fallen. It is impossible at present to obtain anything like a complete list of the casualties among non-commissioned officers and men. The following are the names and rank of the officers.
KILLED.
Captain PARR, son of Mr. J. G. Parr, veterinary surgeon, Humberstone-gate.
Captain FAIRE, son of Mr. Arthur W. Faire, J.P., county director of the V.A.D.
Lieutenant ROBERT CLIVE HARVEY, son of Col. R. Harvey.
Lieutenant T. WHITTINGHAM, son of the Rev. W. G. Whittingham, vicar of Knighton.
Lieutenant GREEN, son of Mr. Septimus J. Green, Fosse-road Central, of the firm G. Green and Son, shoe manufacturers, Ash-street.
Lieutenant FORSELL, son of Mr. John Thos. Forsell, of Barkby, and carrying on business as a spinner, in Frog Island.
Lieutenant GUY RUSSELL, son of Mr. Walter Russell, of B. Russell and Sons, hosiery manufacturers, Western Boulevard.
Lieutenant WALTERS, son of Mr. Wm. Walters, a director of Messrs. Stead and Simpson’s, boot and shoe manufacturers.
To this list should be added the name of Lieut. BLUNT, whose death in hospital from wounds received in the same action has already been reported.
And in the same edition, under the heading. THE FALLEN OFFICERS. – Lieut. ROBERT CLIVE HARVEY, was the son of Colonel R. Harvey. He was born on the 12th January 1896, and was educated at Oundle School and Neuchatel. He was commissioned in the 1/4th Battalion on August 6th, 1914, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on the 8th May, 1915. Lieut. Harvey went through the preliminary training of his Battalion at Luton prior to going to France, and on February 23rd of this year underwent a special course of training in bombs and grenades. On the death of the late Lieut. F. Tarr he succeeded that officer as acting adjutant of the Battalion for two months, and for some time served as Brigade Intelligence Officer. His brother, it will be remembered, was seriously wounded some months ago, and is still suffering from the effects of his injuries.