Dennis Graham Harvey, know to all as Blue, died in July 2021 after a long battle with lung issues. He was 76 years old.
Blue joined the Australian Regular Army on 4 January 1972 at the somewhat mature age of 27. After completion of recruit training at Kapooka and an initial gun numbers course at the School of Artillery, North Head, Blue was posted to 1st Field Regiment at Wacol in Brisbane. Blue joined the Regiment on 18 May 1972 and remained with that Regiment for over ten years. During this time, Blue completed an Operator Command Post (Field) course at the School of Artillery and gained promotion to Lance Bombardier and then to Bombardier. During this time Blue joined others from the Regiment on an exchange program with United States Soldiers and spent four weeks in Hawaii.
In February 1983 Blue was posted to 4th Field Regiment in Townsville on promotion to Sergeant. Blue arrived in the Regiment just in time to join another exchange group, this time to New Zealand. Blue spent a month in New Zealand with other members of the Regiment. In June the same year, Blue managed yet another overseas exchange, this time back to Hawaii for another five weeks.
After three years with 4th Field Regiment, Blue was posted as an Assistant Instructor to the Royal Military College (RMC) in July 1986. He was promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two and remained at RMC for three and a half years before returning to his first Regiment, 1st Field Regiment. This Regiment had since moved from Wacol to Enoggera and Blue was appointed Battery Sergeant Major (BSM) of Headquarters Battery. He remained with 1st Regiment until January 1993 when he had a short six month posting to 131st Divisional Locating Battery and a further six months posting to 11th Field Regiment, then at Annerley. This Regiment hosted a courses camp in the later half of the year and Blue was involved with instructional duties at Wacol for the camp.
In December that year, Blue was posted to the School of Artillery at North Head where he remained until January 1998 when the School moved to its new home at Puckapunyal.
Blue moved to the Army Personal Agency – Sydney (APA Sydney) in January 1998 and remained there until his discharge after nearly 27 years’ service on 7 November 1999.
Blue’s Honours and Awards include the Defence Force Service Medal with First and Second Clasps; the Australian Defence Medal and Commander Training Command – Army Commendation. |
