Deseronto Archives

On this day in 1917 Alexander Bey was drafted into the army in Vancouver under the Military Service Act. He was born in Shannonville on August 31st, 1892, the son of George Bey (or Bay) and Cynthia Lucinda (née Maracle), who were both Mohawks. Bey gave his home address as Fernie, British Columbia.

Alexander joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the British Columbia Regiment with the regimental number 2020341. He was five feet seven inches tall, with a medium complexion, brown eyes and brown hair.

Bey’s service record shows that he arrived in Scotland on December 31st, 1917. He served in the 16th and 1st Reserve Battalions before being transferred to France to fight with the 7th Battalion in April 1918. He survived the war and left England for Canada in April 1919 on board the RMS Olympic. He was demobilized in Kingston on April 24th. He later lived in Spokane, Washington.