Dates: c. 1871-1920
War Service: Reuben Harvey served as a Private with the 3rd Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry having previously served with the regiment in India and Burma. His service number was 9252. He died on 15th May 1920 aged 49.
Location of Memorial: He is buried in Brockley cemetery, where his name is recorded on the screen wall listing those whose graves have no headstone.
Details: Reuben Harvey was the son of James Harvey. He was born in Hazelmere, Buckinghamshire and had two brothers, John and James, and two sisters, Elizabeth and Eliza.
He first enlisted in the army on 28th December 1886 at High Wycombe and his civilian occupation was given as a labourer. It was noted on his enlistment that he had a scar on his left knee and arm. His religious denomination was listed as Wesleyan. He was discharged from the army on 28th December 1896 after serving in India and Burma. It was noted that his habits were temperate and his conduct exemplary.
He married Sarah Peach in 1903. They had the following children; Minnie Sarah (born 12th May 1904), Rosie (born 1905 and died aged 8 in 1913), Frederick Reuben (born 25th March 1907), Edward (born 21st December 1910), Albert (born 14th October 1912), Kathleen (born 1914), William (born 1917) and George (born 1919). In 1911 he was recorded living at 50 Giffin Street, Deptford with his wife Sarah and the eldest of his surviving children. He was employed as a labourer.
He re-enlisted in the army on 9th September 1914 before being discharged on 18th April 1916 as being no longer physically fit for service. He had thrombosis caused by enteric fever which he contracted in Burma in 1891, he was deaf in his right ear and he had lost his first finger on his left hand by amputation.
At the time of his enlistment he was described as being 5ft 7 ½ inches tall and weighing 147lbs. He had brown eyes and brown hair. He had four tattoos; a coat of arms, a female figure and flowers on his right forearm, coats of arms on his left upper arm, and a sailor and snake on his left forearm.
Source:
Contributed By:
Jackie Sellars
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