Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

31 July - 10 November 1917. By the summer of 1917 the British Army was able for the first time to fight on its chosen ground on its terms. Having secured the southern ridges of Ypres at Messines in June, the main attack started on 31st July 1917 accompanied by what seemed like incessant heavy rain, which coupled with the artillery barrages conspired to turn much of the battlefield into a bog. Initial failure prompted changes in the high command and a strategy evolved to take the ring of ridges running across the Ypres salient in a series of 'bite and hold' operations, finally culminating in the capture of the most easterly ridge on which sat the infamous village of Passchendaele. The Official History carries the footnote ?The clerk power to investigate the exact losses was not available? but estimates of British casualties range from the official figure of 244,000 to almost 400,000. Within five months the Germans pushed the British back to the starting line, which was where they had been since May 1915.

Detail :

He joined the colours on November 30th, 1914 as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 8th Bn. King’s (Liverpool Regt), also known as “the Liverpool Irish” a local Territorial Battalion. The photograph appeared in the Liverpool echo of 18 June 1915 with the caption “Lieut Harvey S Duder has been gazetted adjutant of the 3rd Line of the 8th Irish King’s )Liverpool) Regiment. Since 1905 Lieut Duder has been prosecuting solicitor in Liverpool”. He went to France and Flanders arriving on 13th September 1916. At some time he was promoted to Captain, and one record says he became a Major, and died fighting alongside Major Harry Leech, who is also commemorated at Hope Street.,

Correctly, this action, 31st August, 1917, was known as the Battle of Pilkem Ridge, but is also called the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, and more commonly known as Passchendaele. The attack started at 8.30 a.m. over bad ground, and through an enemy artillery barrage, but made steady progress, slowly but surely capturing the objectives. By 10 a.m. the battalion moved through to attack further enemy positions and one officer from the battalion actually reported that “Everyone was in the best of spirits and the men ‘went over’ singing.”.
Just after this the battalion ran into another heavy artillery barrage, coupled with deadly machine gun fire, and after pausing for a few moments to re-group, hidden German snipers picked off a number of the battalion officers.

The attack re-gained its momentum, and this resulted in the capture of the heavily fortified Schuler farm complex, but with heavy losses. At 12.30 p.m. the Germans laid down a tremendous barrage along the front line, supported by aeroplanes, and at 2 p.m. they launched their counter-attacks.

Unfortunately, Harvey, in common with many of his comrades that day, was lost in a sea of mud, constantly churned up by artillery bombardments, and his body was never recovered and identified. He is commemorated at the Menin Gate, Ypres, (Ieper), on Panel 4/6. Awarded pair, to France 13. 09. 1916

Probate DUDER Harvey Steevens of Knowsley-road Cressington Park Liverpool assistant prosecuting solicitor for Liverpool lieutenant (acting captain) 8th battalion the King's Liverpool regiment died 31 July 1917 in Belgium Probate Liverpool 2 January to Margaret Grace Humphreys spinster. Effects £880 15s 1d.

For his service in the Great War he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Harvey is commemorated on;

Menin Gate Memorial, Ieper, Belgium,
Liverpool Masonic Hall Memorial, Hope Street,
Scroll of Honour, Freemasons’ Hall, London,
Roll of Honour Book, United Grand Lodge, 1921.

Masonic :

Harvey was initiated into SEFTON LODGE No 680, on 10th February 1911, a solicitor age 33, residing at "Woodlea" Grassendale. He was initiated alongside a Rupert Henry Bremner of Southport, and both were passed to the second degree on 10 March, and raised to the degree of Master Mason on 12 October, with the Grand Lodge certificate issued on 1 November 1911. Harvey became a joining member of LIVERPOOL CASTLE LODGE No 3373 on 26 February 1914. He would later become the Senior Warden of both lodges.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley
• Researcher : Geoff Cuthill