Pte
Harvey Laurence Yuill

Information about birth

Date of birth:
20/03/1898
Place of birth:
Calabogie, Ontario, Canada

General information

Profession:
Student

Army information

Country:
Canada
Force:
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Rank:
Private
Service number:
231211
Enlistment date:
17/03/1917
Enlistment place:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Units:
 —  Canadian Infantry, 10th Bn. (Canadians)  (Last known unit)

Information about death

Date of death:
11/11/1917
Place of death:
Hill 52, Passchendaele, Belgium
Cause of death:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Age:
19

Memorial

Distinctions and medals 2

Points of interest 3

#1 Place of birth
#2 Enlistment place
#3 Place of death (approximate)

My story

Private Harvey Laurence Yuill served in the Canadian Infantry 10th Battalion, part of the 2nd Canadian Brigade, of the 1st Canadian Division. The Canadians participated in the final stage of the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 6th of November 1917 the 1st Canadian Division already captured the heights at Mosselmarkt and Goudberg, to the northwest of Passchendaele.

On the 10th of November 1917 the Division charged once more. It advanced with the 2nd Canadian Brigade further to the North of Passchendaele. Its final objective was Hill 52. This Hill, half a mile North of the village, was an excellent observation point and would place the allies on top of the Passchendaele Ridge. The 7th and 8th Battalions were the first to attack. They were to capture Vindictive Crossroads and Venture Farm. With these German strongpoints in allied hands the way was completely open to storm Hill 52. The 10th Battalion would remain in reserve during the advance.

All went well at first and the 7th and 8th Battalions respectively took Vindictive Crossroads and Venture Farm. However the attack of the British 1st Division had been checked by a German counterattack, exposing the left flank of the Canadians. Also the right flank was under pressure. Every further advance towards Hill 52 became neigh to impossible. The 8th Battalion had been subjected to heavy shelling and enfilade fire coming from the left and was unable to complete the attack. Subsequently the 10th Battalion was ordered to come up from the Brigade’s reserve and took over the whole of the 2nd Canadian Brigade’s front. They pushed on towards the top of the ridge and eventually established a line on Hill 52.

Although the 10th Battalion had taken an excellent observation point with Hill 52, they had driven a deep wedge in the German defences and found themselves surrounded on three sides. Becoming a victim of their own success they were now being shelled from three sides. The Battalion suffered heavy casualties due to the German shelling during the night and throughout the 11th of November. The Battalion was eventually relieved in the evening. It had lost a total of 154 men. Thirty-three men were killed in action, 104 were wounded and seventeen went missing. Private Harvey Laurence Yuill lost his live on Hill 52 on the 11th of November 1917. He possibly fell victim due to the German shellfire. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Files 3

Sources 7

"Gallant Canadians. The Story of the Tenth Canadian Infantry Battalion (1914-1919)", Dancocks D., Calgary, The Calgary Highlanders Regimental Funds Foundation, 1990, pg. 148-155.
Sources used
"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 160-161.
Sources used
Ancestry
https://www.ancestry.com/
Further reference
CWGC
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1597277/yuill,-laurence-harvey/#&gid=null&pid=1
Sources used
Service Records
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/search.aspx
Sources used
The Long, Long Trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/
Sources used
War Diary
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/search/arch
Sources used