Francis John William Harvey

Ordered the magazine flooded, saving HMS Lion from disaster.

Francis John William Harvey was born on 29 April 1873 at Upper Sydenham, Kent, into a naval family. His father, Commander John William Francis Harvey, served in the Royal Navy. Educated at Portsmouth Grammar School from 1884 to 1892, Francis chose the Royal Marine Light Infantry and was commissioned a second lieutenant in September 1892. He attended the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and became a lieutenant on 1 July 1893.

Gunnery became the central speciality of his career. After an early appointment aboard HMS Wildfire, he trained at HMS Excellent and qualified as a gunnery instructor in 1896. Service in HMS Phaeton was followed by an assistant instructional appointment at the Plymouth Division. Subsequent seagoing appointments included HMS Edgar and HMS Diadem, and he became a captain in 1900. From 1903 he served in larger warships, including HMS Royal Sovereign, Duke of Edinburgh, St George and Inflexible, combining practical experience with the training of ships' gun crews.

In 1910 Harvey became Instructor of Gunnery at Chatham. Promoted to major on 22 January 1911, he established a reputation for careful instruction and high standards. He joined the battlecruiser HMS Lion as senior marine officer in February 1913. Lion became Vice-Admiral David Beatty's flagship, and Harvey commanded its amidships Q turret. His wartime service included the Battle of Heligoland Bight in August 1914 and the Battle of Dogger Bank in January 1915.

On 31 May 1916, during the Battle of Jutland, a heavy shell from the German battlecruiser Lutzow penetrated Q turret. The explosion killed or wounded its gunhouse crew and started a fire. Mortally wounded, Harvey ordered the magazine doors closed and the magazine flooded. Those precautions prevented the flames from detonating the ammunition stored below, saving Lion from a catastrophic magazine explosion. He died shortly afterwards, aged 43.

Harvey was buried at sea and is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. There was no subsequent career: his service ended with his fatal wounds at Jutland. His posthumous Victoria Cross was announced on 15 September 1916. King George V subsequently presented it to his widow, Ethel, at Buckingham Palace. They had a son, John Malcolm Harvey, who later served as an army officer.

Victoria Cross citation Major Francis John William Harvey, R.M.L.I.

Whilst mortally wounded and almost the only survivor after the explosion of an enemy shell in "Q" gunhouse, with great presence of mind and devotion to duty ordered the magazine to be flooded, thereby saving the ship. He died shortly afterwards.

London Gazette, 15 September 1916, issue 29751, page 9067.