Brear | Harvey
Biography
Harvey Brear died on 18th October 1944 aged 21. At the time of his death he was a private in the 2nd Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment. He was buried initially at De Kleffen Overloon, then transferred to the CWGC cemetery in Overloon.
Photos of Harvey in his uniform seem to indicate that he was originally in the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment. At some point it seems that he transferred to the East Yorkshire Regiment.
The Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment formed part of the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division. It isn’t known when Harvey joined up, but in May 1940 it was in Iceland where it remained until 1942. A new divisional insignia, featuring a polar bear standing on an ice floe, was adopted and can be clearly seen on Harvey’s uniform. The division was trained in mountain and arctic warfare. By April 1942, responsibility for Iceland had been handed over to the United States. The division spent the rest of 1942 training throughout Wales and England, with the intention of catching up with the latest training methods. In April 1943 it was initially earmarked as an assault division for the invasion of Normandy. Major General Evelyn “Bubbles” Barker took over the Division and requested a more aggressive insignia, showing a roaring Polar Bear instead of a more submissive one. It was sent to Scotland, where it began strenuous training in amphibious warfare and combined operations, which continued throughout 1943 and into 1944.
However, in early 1944 when General Sir Bernard Montgomery took over command of the 21st Army Group, which commanded all Allied land forces in the upcoming invasion, a different division was chosen by Montgomery as one of the two British assault divisions –and the 49th Division, despite training for the role for many months, was instead relegated to a backup role, causing great disappointment to all ranks. In January 1944, the division moved to East Anglia where it continued training for the invasion.
On 13 June 1944, most of the 49th Division, after just over two years of training, landed in Normandy as part of Operation Overlord. The division arrived too late to take part in the Battle of Villers-Bocage, where the veteran 7th Armoured Division suffered a serious setback, but was involved in the numerous attempts to capture the city of Caen. The division, after landing, was only involved in relatively small-scale skirmishes, most notably on 16 June around Tilly-sur-Seulles, where the 6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, of the 147th Brigade, suffered some 230 casualties − 30% of its war establishment strength − in a two-day battle whilst attempting to capture Le Parc de Boislonde. The casualties in this Battalion were so severe that it was returned to the United Kingdom and disbanded, most of its men being sent to the 7th Battalion which continued to fight in the Normandy Campaign.
It may be at this point which Harvey transferred to the East Yorkshire Regiment. A family member recalls a story that Harvey was on leave and volunteered to return to the front. This may be at this time. The 2nd Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment had taken part in the D- Day landings in June 1944 and had lost many men as a consequence. A substantial number of reinforcements joined the Battalion in late July when it had returned across the Orne to Beuville, near Caen in France. It played a part in action to secure a road junction at Vire in mid August but played no further part in the Battle of Normandy. In September they were in Belgium and successfully crossed the Escaut canal as part of the ill-fated Market Garden operation, arriving in Gemert in Holland on 26th September where they received a tremendous welcome.
October saw the 2nd Battalion involved in some of the heaviest fighting since the end of June, amid continual rain and mud. The battalion played its part in capturing Overloon on 12th to 15th October, suffering 49 casualties.
On the 16th October the battalion received fresh orders to attack Venray. Delays meant that the battalion came under smoke mortar fire and did not set off until 5pm, with a participant saying “it was one of those cases of hanging about waiting with nothing to do under fire, when nerves get very strained”. When they did set off progress was slow as the tracks were difficult to follow and sniping in the vicinity “made people rather jumpy in the dark”.
The following day the attack on Venray continued, finally reaching the town. By first light on the 18th, the Germans had withdrawn and the battle was over, at the cost of nine “other ranks” killed, forty-one, including one officer, wounded, and eleven men missing. Survivors recall the action in Venray was particularly intense, with all their training coming into play. The Divisional Commander described the troops of 3rd Division during this period of fighting as “desperately gallant soldiers with a wonderful spirit”, having concluded that the conditions under which they had fought were “quite Bloody”. It was on 18 October that Harvey Brear was killed.
Family background
Harvey’s parents were Herbert and Annie Brear. Herbert Brear had married Annie Wigglesworth in 1914 in Wakefield.
In 1921 they were living at 3, Model Yard, Warrengate, Wakefield in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Herbert was described as a Colliery Bye Worker (Below) at Manor Haig Moor Colliery. Both Herbert and Annie were born in 1894. With them at that time was a daughter, Margaret Brear, who was born in 1919. All three were born in Wakefield.
Harvey was born in Q4 1923 and his mother’s maiden name was given as Wigglesworth.
It seems that Herbert and Annie had a total of 6 children, all born in Wakefield. The eldest, Willie, was born in 1915, but died in 1920 aged just 5. Three other children were born after Margaret and Harvey: Kathleen in 1925, Joyce in 1928 and Elizabeth M in 1930.
Harvey’s father, Herbert, died in 1937 aged just 42. It is understood from family that he had served in WW1 and suffered from a gas attack from which he never fully recovered.
In September 1939, Annie, now widowed, was living at 22 Roundwood Rise in the Lupset area of Wakefield. Her date of birth was given as 5/1/1894. There too was her 20 year old daughter Margaret who had married Percy B Weston (ben) in Q2 that year and so was now shown as Margaret Weston. Her date of birth was given as 29/5/1919. Her husband was not present. Four records were closed, suggesting the presence of four children, probably including Harvey.
There is a suggestion that Harvey was living in Monmouthshire in Wales at some point. No marriage record has been found for him but a photo of a married couple was found among family papers relating to Harvey, though it isn’t certain it is him.
All four of Harvey’s sisters went on to marry and have families of their own, some of whom have contributed to this biography. Some have also visited Harvey’s grave in the past.
Annie Brear died in 1975 in Wakefield. Her birth date was again given as 5/1/1894.
