The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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262697 2nd Lt. Robert Henry Harvey British Army 2nd Btn. Black Watch from:Dundee (d.5th Dec 1941) Bobby Harvey volunteered, imagine his mother's distress when he told her he had chosen the Black Watch as she knew they usually were on the front line. We know he went to Syria in 1941 and then to Libya (Cyrenaica) where he was wounded on the 21st of November 1941. On the 5th of December 1941 he was embarked upon S.S. Chakdina for wounded transportation to Alexandria. Sadly the ship was torpedoed and there is still some dubiety as to whether this was done by the Germans or the Italians. The ship sank totally within three and a half minutes, allowing only those fit enough to get off. Bobby's family were told at the time that the Chakdina was a troop carrier that had been commandeered as a hospital ship as the hospital ships were overcrowded. They were told that it wasn't registered in time to prevent it being bombed. There is now some dubiety to this as it is known that the Chakdina also had some able troops upon it being transported. Also on board was a very prestigious prisoner of war, named General Johann Ravenstein of the German Panzers who was one of the first high profile P.O.W.s Many New Zealand injured soldiers were also on the ship and these were New Zealand's only at sea casualties. Bobby is mentioned on the El Alamein Memorial as well as books of remembrance in Edinburgh Castle and at the Black Watch Museum, Balhousie Castle Perth. He worked for the Dundee Courier and Advertiser as a journalist. he had done well and been sent down to the London Office which was where he was at the time he enlisted. He had been a clever youngster and had won a scholarship to Harris Academy in Dundee. Amongst the effects he left behind were his beloved drumsticks, he loved the drums and played in a band, also his Boys Brigade bible presented for good attendance and his swagger stick. Bobby died aged 22 and three months, leaving behind his grieving parents Frank and Georgina and his sister Winnie and brother Frank. R.I.P. Bobby 16th of September 1919 to 5th of December 1941 Robert Henry Harvey Paterson Add to this record.  Related Content: 2nd Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) Invasion of Syria Western Desert Campaign in North Africa SS Chakdina Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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