Corporal Laurence John (Jack) Harvey
- Rank
- Corporal
- Service number
- WX10822
- Unit
- 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion
- Cause of death
- Died as Prisoner of War
- Place of death
- South China Sea
- Date of death
- 12 September 1944
- Age
- 24
- Plaque number
- MW28B
- Co-located plaques
- MW28 - PTE Frederick Webb
- MW28A - PTE Robert Bell
- Dedicated by
- Family on 13 May 2023
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Laurence John (Jack) Harvey was born in Herne Bay, Kent, England 24 December 1919, to William Harvey MC and Margaret Emma Hartnett (nee McAlenan). He had four brothers and two sisters. Laurence (aged two), his mother and sister Ursula arrived in Albany, Western Australia aboard the ‘Sophisoles’ in 1922. His father William arrived sometime beforehand and resumed his work as a police officer in Manjimup.
Laurence married Enid Mary Hastie in Perth in 1940 and they had two sons, Brian and Michael.
Laurence enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 15 January 1941, later joining ‘C’ Company of 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion. He was transferred to ‘E’ Company Special Reserve Battalion after the reinforcements were picked up by ‘Aquitania’ on 16 January 1942. He was promoted to Corporal on 7 February 1942, just before Japan invaded Singapore.
Jack, as he was known, was fortunate to survive the Japanese ambush at Bukit Timah in which ‘E’ Company ran into on 11 February 1942 resulting in a huge loss of life. Jack was captured becoming a prisoner of war.
He was later selected to work on the Burma end of the railway with Green Force, Green Force would remain working in Burma until December 1943 when the railway was completed.
The Japanese began moving prisoners in the Burma area to Thailand and Jack was probably sent to Tamarkan. With all prisoners of war now in Thailand they began the selection of the fittest men for work in Japan. In April 1944, Jack was selected with what is known as the ‘Rakuyo Maru’ party to be sent to Japan.
On the morning of 12 September 1944, the convoy that Jack was a part of was attacked in the Luzon Strait by three United States submarines; Rakuyo Maru was torpedoed by USS Sealion and sunk towards evening.
Corporal Laurence John (Jack) Harvey, service number WX10822, of 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion, died as a prisoner of war, in the South China Sea near Haanan Island, 12 September 1944. He was 24 years of age.
He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial, Malaysia and is remembered with honour.
His plaque is placed alongside comrades Private Frederick Webb and Private Robert Bell, who also died as prisoners of war from 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion.