Harvey, Attercliffe Young
7484 Private Attercliffe Young Harvey - 11th battalion AIF
Attercliffe Young Harvery was born on the 9th December 1888 in Wentworth NSW to Robert and Ruth Harvey. He was one of four siblings born into the family.
The family moved to WA in the late 1890's and took up residence in North Fremantle and he completed his schooling at Beaconsfield Primary School Fremantle.
On the 6th July 1903 Attercliffe joined the WAGR as a cadet though this only lasted for a short time later became a bank clerk for the Bank of Australasia.
The family lived at 24 Quarry Street Fremantle (later renumbered 15 Quarry Street)
On the 23rd January 1917 Attercliffe enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 8 inches tall;
Weight - 129lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-35 inches;
Complexion - Sallow;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Black.
Upon his successful enlistment he was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the Depot training Company. He spent a week being taken through the basics of infantry work and was then assigned to the 25th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. Attercliffe would train with this group in WA for the next few months. He was given the rank of Lance Corporal but this was to be for the initial training and journey only.
On the 29th June 1917 Attercliffe and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Borda. The ship then set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth Harbour on the 25th August 1917. He was then disembarked and sent to the 3rd Training Battalion at Durrington Camp. On arrival Attercliffe reverted back to the rank of Private.
He was at the 3rd Training Battalion for the next few months and on the 7th November 1917 was transferred to the 2nd Training Battalion at Sutton Veny. He remained here for another two months and in January 1918 was transferred to Signal School. He spent three more months at Signal School in England and on the 7th April 1918 was transferred to France. After a few days at the base depot camp at Le Havre, Attercliffe was taken on strength of the 11th battalion on the 11th April 1918.
As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 when they broke through the British front in the southern sector, the five Australian divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop this advance. The 11th Battalion, as part of the 1st Australian Division was the last of the divisions to leave Belgium and had just arrived near Amiens when the Germans broke through the line in Belgium and made a speedy advance into northern France. The 1st Australian Division was then returned north and met the Germans around Hazebrouck, Meteren and Merris and for the next few months were in action here. Attercliffe had joined them here.
In early August 1918, the 11th Battalion was moved south to Villers-Bretonneux where they would take part in the large advance that was due to take place on August 8th 1918. The 11th Battalion didn't take part in the first day of the advance but went into the line on the 9th August 1918 and on the following day attacked the German positions at Lihons. The Germans had well entrenched positions and unleashed a heavy machine gun fire on the advancing men of the 11th Battalion. Many of the 11th Battalion were killed and wounded by this fire and Attercliffe had been hit by a bullet in the right thigh.
He was evacuated for treatment to the 5th Australian Field Ambulance and then was sent to the 55th Casualty Clearing Station. After more work was done on his wound he was put on an ambulance train and sent to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital. He only had a few days there and was then shipped to England. On arrival he was sent to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham. He spent over two weeks here receiving treatment and on the 31st August 1918 was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield.
He was recovering quite well and on the 3rd September 1918 he was given a two week furlough. His wound was serious enough for Attercliffe to be marked for return to Australia. He spent the next few months at No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny and then the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell.
On the 25th January 1919 Attercliffe boarded the transport ship Ceramic and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 15th March 1919.
Attercliffe was discharged from the AIF on the 8th April 1919.
He resumed working for the Bak of Australasia in Perth for a time but after his father died in Fremantle in 1920, Attercliffe moved to NSW. He was still then employed by the Bank of Australasia.
Attercliffe married in 1923 to Edith Ruth Shearston.
His work for the bank took him to the country areas and he worked for Bank of Australasia and was branch manager at Moree from 1930 then moved to Kempsey in that role in 1937.
Attercliffe served for a time during World War Two (N290418 and served in the 30th Battalion VDC with the rank of Major) but remained as manager at Kempsey till late 1940's then moved to Grafton NSW
Attercliffe died on the 5th August 1960 in Sydney