HARVEY, ROBERT NAPIER, Captain, was
born 17 May 1868, son of John Harvey, of Messrs John Harvey and Sons, Bristol,
and of Mary Russell, daughter of George Prentice, of Fifeshire. He was
educated at Marlborough College; Redcliffe House, Clifton, and the RMA,
Woolwich; joined the Royal Engineers as Second Lieutenant 17 February 1888;
was promoted Captain 12 January 1899; employed as Regimental Officer, Royal
Engineers. He served in the South African War as ADC to Major General, Royal
Engineers, 2nd August 1900 to 11 November 1901, and was present in the
operations in the Orange Free State February to May 1900; operations in the
Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July to 29 November 1900, including action at
Belfast; operations in the Transvaal, west of Pretoria, July to 29 November
1900, including action at Zilikat's Nek; operations in Orange River Colony May
to 29 November 1900; operations in Cape Colony, south of Orange River,
1899-1900; operations in Cape Colony, north of Orange River; operations in the
Transvaal, 30 November 1900 to 31 May 1902. He was mentioned in Despatches
[London Gazette, 16 April 1901]; received the Queen's Medal with three clasps,
the King's Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the
Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 19 April, 1901]: "Robert Napier
Harvey, Captain, Royal Engineers. In recognition of services during the
operations in South Africa". The Insignia were presented in South Africa 13
July 1901. He was Staff Officer, Royal Engineers, in South Africa, 12
November 1901 to 5 April, 1903, and was employed under the Civil Government,
Transvaal, from 6 April 1903 to 13 December 1905, and was promoted to Major 25
September 1906. He was Chief Instructor in Fortification, School of Military
Engineering, and obtained the Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel 26 November 1913.
On the outbreak of the European War he became Assistant (with the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel) to the Engineer-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force,
from 15 January 1915. He was appointed Inspector of Mines, and promoted to
Temporary Brigadier General 2 January 1916, and Chief Engineer of 6th Army
Corps, January 1918 to 1919; was mentioned in Despatches five times; created a
CMG January 1916; was given the Brevet of Colonel 3 June, 1916. In August
1917, he was awarded the CB for valuable services rendered in the field. In
1909 he married Mabel, daughter of Bourchier Hawksley, of 14, Hyde Park
Gardens, London, and they had two sons.
