Charles Barnet ‘Roscoe’ Harvey DSO

Charles Barnet Harvey was born in Sarawak on 19 July 1900 the son of a businessman who worked for the Borneo Company. His father died when he was only one year old and he was brought back to England. Despite having poor eyesight he entered the 10th Hussars in 1920 and was appointed Riding Master due to his exceptional riding skills. In India he was an enthusiastic sportsman, in racing, hunting, pig-sticking and polo. When the cavalry was mechanised he overcame his dislike of the internal combustion engine and proved to be a great tank commander in WW2, appointed CO of the 10th Hussars from June 1941 to June 1942. He was promoted to Brigadier in the 11th Armoured Division for the fighting in Northern Europe. He won the DSO three times and made major contributions to the allied war effort in North Africa and Europe. On 14 March 1952 he was appointed Colonel of the 10th Royal Hussars, and remained as such for 10 years until 13 March 1962.
After the war he became well known in the world of horse racing, and was on good terms with fellow horse-lover the Queen Mother, only 16 days younger than Roscoe. He earned the name Roscoe because he was ‘forced to put up two pounds overweight in an Irish steeplechase’ And a remark was made that he resembled Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle, the infamous film star. In 1926 he married Biddy Milne and they had two children, a daughter and a son who was killed in a motorcycle accident. Roscoe died on 28 March 1996. The photo is taken from a regimental Journal and shows Captain Harvey with Seagull, a chestnut gelding, after winning the lightweight division for English and Colonial ponies at the Lucknow Horse Show in 1932. An obituary by Tim Fitzgeorge-Parker was published in the Independent 29 Mar 1996 which gives a more detailed account of Roscoe Harvey’s life.

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