Hyde, Greater Manchester England, UK
British Army
Corporal, 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment
5/2/201, Sangin PB Waterloo (near), Afghanistan
Harvey served in the 1st Mercian Regiment and joined up when he was sixteen directly after leaving school. He would have been around 6 years old when the family began to realize that he was going in the army when he ‘grew up’ and nothing we could do would deter him. Harvey loved every moment of his army career (army barmy they call it here) since joining up originally with the Cheshire Regiment who later amalgamated with 2 other Regiments to become the Mercians.
We have been completely overwhelmed by the tributes received from his superiors but more particularly with the many messages posted on the MOD website from his mates and the heroes who served with him. The Mercians are expected home in October and I look forward to welcoming them, especially all of those friends who I have become to know well over the last six years.
Determined to do at least 22 years, Harvey was looking forward, at the grand old age of about 45, to buying a couple of narrow boats to tour the inland canal waterways which had become the second love of his life. We have been ‘Narrowboaters’ since he was about 10 years old and he took to it like a duck to water. He would always try to get home at the weekend so that he could drop his washing off with me to get ready for Sunday night and then make his way to our boat that is moored at New Mills in Derbyshire. His fiancé’ Claire soon got used to the idea that if you can’t beat them, join them! To this end, if Mr. Reagan agrees to complete this portrait, then it will take pride and place in the ward room and travel with us wherever we go.