He was educated at Hampden Street Primary School and attended Nelson College from 1910 to 1912.
He was wounded twice, once on 16 September 1916 in the Somme, probably during the second day of the Brigades involvement in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette and again on 14 May 1918.
[3][4] Returning to New Zealand, Harley joined his family's brewing business.
Harley married Hilda Condell in 1920 and they had three children: two sons and a daughter.
He died at Nelson on 26 September 1973, and his ashes were buried at Wakapuaka Cemetery.