{"id":4043,"date":"2025-11-05T19:43:51","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T19:43:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hibbittbarnes.uk\/blog\/?p=4043"},"modified":"2025-11-05T23:33:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T23:33:44","slug":"sapper-george-harvey-9th-battalion-canadian-engineers-c-e","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hibbittbarnes.uk\/blog\/sapper-george-harvey-9th-battalion-canadian-engineers-c-e","title":{"rendered":"Sapper George Harvey: 9th Battalion, Canadian Engineers (C.E.)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As Remembrance Day<\/strong> approaches, we pause to honour the countless individuals whose lives were forever altered by the First World War. This year, I\u2019m looking closely at one such life – that of 2007216 Sapper George Harvey<\/strong><\/a> of “B” Company, 9th Battalion, Canadian Engineers<\/strong>, the great-grandfather from whom Harvey inherited his name.<\/p>\n

Early<\/u><\/u> Years<\/u><\/h3>\n

George Harvey, a mason and fisherman\u2019s son, was born in Newlyn, Cornwall<\/strong>, on 23rd July 1884. He married Lizzie Annie Thomas on 5th April 1908 and their eldest daughter, also named Lizzie Annie, arrived in August. The following year he sailed to America<\/strong> on the Steam Ship Teutonic to join his brother-in-law in Houghton, Michigan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

After a period of more than five years away, George returned home to Newlyn, arriving on 6th June 1914 on the White Star ocean liner, RMS Olympic. A couple of months later the now bricklayer, embarked at Liverpool on the S.S. Merion bound for Bell Avenue, Braddock, Pennsylvania<\/strong>. While he was abroad, his second daughter, Marie, was born in Cornwall on 25th February 1915.<\/p>\n

Military Service<\/u><\/h3>\n

George was still resident at Bell Avenue when, in December 1917, he enlisted at Toronto, Canada<\/strong>, for the Canadian Over-seas Expeditionary Force. His Attestation Paper notes four years of prior military service as a Gunner (details currently unknown).<\/p>\n

On 11th March 1918, George arrived in England on the S.S. Metagama and was stationed at the training base at Seaford, East Sussex, before deploying to France on 23rd June. He likely arrived at Grosville, nearby Riviere,<\/strong> with the seventy-nine reinforcements joining the 9th Battalion<\/strong> on 5th July.<\/p>\n

Mobilising for Amiens<\/u><\/h3>\n

The Battle of Amiens marked the beginning of the Hundred Days Offensive<\/strong>, a series of rapid Allied advances that would ultimately end the First World War. The war diary of the 9th Battalion, Canadian Engineers (C.E.)<\/strong> of the 3rd Canadian Division <\/strong>offers a compelling, day-by-day look into their intense activities. Led by Major N.R. Robertson DSO, the battalion played a critical and often perilous role in the preparations for, and execution of, the massive offensive that began on 8th August.<\/p>\n

“B” Company\u2019s Activities throughout July 1918<\/u><\/h3>\n

“B” Company (George Harvey\u2019s unit) was engaged in a demanding schedule of engineering, construction, and movement<\/strong> during July.<\/p>\n

The initial focus was on defensive and demolition work<\/strong>, including:<\/p>\n