19 Facts About Albert Facey

In 1896, when Albert Facey was two years old, his father died of typhoid fever on the Kalgoorlie goldfields in Western Australia.

In 1898, Albert Facey's mother left for Western Australia to care for her older children, who had accompanied their father to the goldfields, leaving her younger children, including Albert Facey, in the care of their grandmother.

Albert Facey began his working life around 1902, aged eight, and hardly ever lived with his family again.

Albert Facey was never able to attend school, but managed to teach himself to read and write when he was in his teens.

The scars on his back and neck from the injuries Albert Facey had sustained remained evident for the rest of his life.

In 1908, Albert Facey's mother remarried and, at her request, he moved to Subiaco, a suburb of Perth, to live with her and her second husband, a plumber named Arthur "Bill" Downie.

Albert Facey became an active campaigner for improved conditions for Australian returned servicemen.

Albert Facey spent the rest of his working life as a successful, self-employed poultry and pig farmer and businessman in areas such as Tuart Hill, Wanneroo, Gosnells and Mount Helena near Mundaring.

Albert Facey was active in public life and was well-known in his community from the 1920s until he retired in the late 1950s.

Albert Facey was president of the Perth Tramways Union for five years and later an elected member of local government and the Perth Roads Board for over 20 years, and a justice of the peace.

Albert Facey stated in his memoirs that, although he and his wife had assumed their son had been killed, they had not given up hope.

Albert Facey attributed his later health problems to war injuries received at Gallipoli, including old bullet wounds and a ruptured spleen, even though his war records contain no evidence of his being injured during his war service.

Albert Facey arrived at Gallipoli on 7 May 1915, after which the only problem with his health was "heart trouble", diagnosed at Gallipoli on 19 August, which was the reason for his repatriation to Australia in October 1915.

Albert Facey suffered a major heart attack in 1958, and retired.

Albert Facey began making notes on his life and, at the urging of his wife and children, eventually had the notes compiled into a book.

Albert Facey completed his memoirs in 1977, on his 83rd birthday.

Albert Facey needed a wheelchair due to a broken hip.

Albert Facey's book became a best-seller, and won New South Wales Premier's Literary Award for non-fiction, as well as the National Book Council Prize.

Albert Facey was survived by six of his seven children and 28 grandchildren.