Albert Facey

Albert Barnett Facey (31 August 1894 – 11 February 1982), publishing as A. B. Facey, was an Australian writer and World War I veteran, whose main work was his autobiography, A Fortunate Life, now considered a classic of Australian literature. , it has sold over one million copies and was the subject of a television mini-series. His childhood in Western Australia was spent in areas such as Kalgoorlie, Narrogin, Bruce Rock, Merredin, Yealering, Wickepin, Pingelly, and at Cave Rock, near Popanyinning, which he writes about in chapter 2 of A Fortunate Life.

By the age of 14, he was an experienced farm labourer and bushman and, at 20, he became a professional boxer with a troupe that toured South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. His boxing career continued until he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in January 1915.

War service Facey joined the AIF on 4 January 1915, not long after the outbreak of World War I. He travelled to Egypt as an infantryman with the 11th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcement, aboard the troopship and fought during the Gallipoli Campaign, including the battle of Leane's Trench. Much of his autobiography relates to the horror he endured during his wartime service and his vivid recollections of the plight of the ANZAC diggers at Gallipoli. Two of his older brothers, Roy Barker Facey (1890–1915) and Joseph Thomas Facey (1883–1915) were killed during the campaign.

In his book, Facey tells of being wounded on more than one occasion at Gallipoli. On 19 August 1915although Facey "was uncertain about dates" After a week in reserve, the 11th Battalion was redistributed between the 9th and 10th Battalions at Anzac on 18 August.

Facey was invalided back to Australia on the ship , which left Port Suez on 31 October 1915.

Family life and career Marriage

After being returned to Australia, Facey met Evelyn Mary Gibson (1897–1976), whom he married at Bunbury on 24 August 1916. They were happily married for nearly 60 years before Evelyn died on 3 August 1976. He mourned her for the rest of his life. The couple had seven children, born between 1919 and 1939.

After he returned from the war, Facey worked as a tram driver (1916–1922). He became an active campaigner for improved conditions for Australian returned servicemen. The family lived at Victoria Park, before returning with their children to farm at Wickepin, from 1922 to 1934. After his time at Wickepin, Facey returned to Perth and worked as a trolleybus driver (1934–1946). He spent the rest of his working life as a successful, self-employed poultry and pig farmer and businessman (1947–1958) in areas such as Tuart Hill, Wanneroo, Gosnells and Mount Helena near Mundaring.

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

Loss of son Facey's eldest son, also named Albert Barnett Facey, but known as Barney, 1919–1942, joined the Second AIF during the Second World War and served with the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion. On 15 March 1942, he died in a bombing raid during the Battle of Singapore against the Japanese Army. While his family were aware that he was missing in action, his death was not confirmed until May 1945.

Death While in an aged care facility at Midland due to his broken hip, Facey died of natural causes on 11 February 1982, aged 87.

Television adaptation

His novel A Fortunate Life was made into a four-part television film in 1985, based on Facey's life between 1897 and 1916. The cast included Bill Hunter, Val Lehman and Ray Meagher.

Legacy Facey's homestead in Wickepin has been turned into a tourist attraction. A government building, Albert Facey House, on Forrest Place in Perth, was named in his honour. It houses the Public Utilities Office of the Department of Finance, as well as other agencies. His name is also borne by the Albert Facey Memorial Library in Mundaring, Facey Road in Gnangara, Albert Facey Street in Maidstone, and a motel in Narrogin. Barney Street in Glendalough is named after his late son. The manuscripts of A Fortunate Life are housed in the Special Collections of the University of Western Australia Library.