John Harvey was born on 25 June 1888 in Holdenhurst, Bournemouth, Hants, the son of John Harvey and Elizabeth Eleanor Salone Harvey. After leaving school he spent two years as a WORCESTER Cadet and served in the SS JAPAN and the SS POONA between January 1907 and April 1910. From 25 June 1910 to 25 November 1913, he served in SS NILE, SS CHINA, SS ARABIA, SS SALSETTE and, in November 1913, he joined the P & O Liner SS BANCA as Second Mate.

He received a commission as a Temporary Sub Lieutenant, RNR on 20 July 1915 and was promoted to Acting Lieutenant, RNR on 22 January 1916. He served in the cruiser HMS DUKE OF EDINBURGH before joining the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MAIDSTONE at Harwich ‘for Submarines‘ on 15 November 1916. He was appointed to HMS E49 as Navigating Officer on 27 November 1916. On 12 March 1917, E49 was lost with all hands when the submarine hit a mine off Huney Island in the Shetlands.

John Harvey is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No. 27.