Facey, Private Samuel Wallace Facey

Service Highlights

  • Service Number: 2356741
  • Born November 28, 1897 in West Nissouri Township, Ontario.
  • Son of Samuel Facey of Belton, Ontario.
  • Attested for service at London, Ontario on May 21, 1918.
  • Assigned to the 1st Depot Battalion, Western Ontario Regiment.
  • Embarked for England in August 1918.
  • Served with reinforcement and reserve units in England.
  • Hospitalized with influenza and later measles during service.
  • Discharged on August 23, 1919 following demobilization.
  • Residence after service listed as Belton, Ontario.
  • Commemorated through the St. Marys Legion Veterans Banner Program.

A Life and Service Remembered

Samuel Wallace Facey was born in West Nissouri Township, Ontario, in 1897 and was raised in a rural farming community near Belton. Like many young men of his generation, he worked as a farmer prior to the First World War.

In May 1918, during the final year of the war, Facey enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force at London, Ontario. He was assigned to the 1st Depot Battalion of the Western Ontario Regiment, where he began training before being sent overseas.

He arrived in England in August 1918, joining the large system of reinforcement units that supported Canadian forces at the front. However, like many soldiers in the closing months of the war, his experience was shaped not only by military preparation but also by illness. His service record shows that he was hospitalized with influenza and later measles, both of which were widespread among troops at the time.

Although he did not proceed to front line combat before the Armistice, Facey remained part of the Canadian war effort during its final phase. He continued in service through the demobilization period and was discharged in August 1919, returning home to Belton, Ontario.

His story reflects the experience of many Canadians who enlisted in the final year of the war, ready to serve overseas and support the fighting forces, even as the conflict came to an end.

Major Battles and Operations

  • Mobilization and training with the Western Ontario Regiment Depot Battalion
  • Service in England as part of the Canadian reinforcement system
  • Canadian Expeditionary Force service during the final phase of the First World War

Learn More

Great Canadian war project, https://canadiangreatwarproject.com/person.php?pid=964278