This was the best so far. I have a new hero. Thank you. So inspiring and informing. It has to become a classic. Ideal human by any measurement. 706 watchers now. 1M in a year. GBU for this Psalm of Life.
I watched this last night and have been recommending it to everyone know. As the commentator says, this is far more inspiring than any famous person's biography because it is relatable to every unpretentious common man and his wife.
I first read Bert’s book in the 80’s when I used it as a textbook for a class I was teaching. I have always remembered his wonderfully positive view of the world and wished I could maintain such an amazing attitude to life. My grandfather had a similar experience of life at that time, very few people have overcome such difficulties and kept their optimism. I choke up every time I think of his life.😢
I was hanging on every word. What a man and what a life of hardship and bounce back. Bert was an awesome bloke and I’d bet his kids, grandkids are just as strong willed. Thanks for posting and I’ll recommend this to anyone who will listen..
I read the book as a schoolboy and it hasn't left my consciousness all this time. A truly challenging time in history, and a generation of tough people worthy of respect. Thanks so much for viewing and sharing your thoughts!
What a delightful video! I'm passing it along. Cheerful responsibility and resilience--we can all use more of that. And especially fidelity to conscience.
A Fortunate Life was the seminal book that shaped my younger years because I found so many common themes with Albert Facey even tho I grew up in the 70's in a migrant family. Best book I ever read. So glad he is remembered with Albert Facey House in Perth Center
I read the book for the first time at school too, and the force of its message has stuck with me ever since. It has certainly given me some solid perspective whenever I've experienced life's ups and downs. Thanks for sharing, and for your support of my channel!
"A Fortunate Life" was a prescribed text in English when I was at school back in the 1980s. I did not read it at the time (apart from a very quick skim just prior to assessment). I have always regretted not reading Facey's autobiography properly. Thank you for producing a superb video about such an extraordinary human.
He is my great great great grandfather got this book at home and his photos it's incredible to keep this story and know what his life was life so inspiring wish to one day meet you my mother branched off the Facey name and passed the book to me hope to keep this story strong
You must be very proud indeed! I first read his book when I was at school, and later on saw the TV drama that I took some of my footage from. It's always remained a powerful reminder of perspective for me; and now, over 30 years later, i hope I've done him justice and honoured his memory. Thanks so much for sharing your story!
@@heroesandlegends Your welcome I'm glad to see it is so well known i never know until a couple of years ago about him and what he has done i feel so lucky to know what my great grandfathers life was like and ill pass it down to my next generation to come Thank you
Many thanks from the USA! Well chosen subjects and accurately produced stories of the people and forces that have shaped our lives. Keep up the good work!
it's all in the way you you look at it. when something "goes wrong" i look at it, learn and say "well at least" this or that did or did not happen. in other words it could be worse
This story of an ordinary man emboldened my heart chapter by chapter. This story makes me realise blessings in my own life , l often took for granted . 🕵🏻♂️❤️
Such a remarkable story of similar context to the book 'Not Just Ordinary Blokes' relating the triumphs and tragedies that befell families from early European settlement to post war development in education, health and well-being, natural disasters and political affairs. Simply never giving up on adversity earmarks this book and this film.
A wonderful true story which uplifts all who learn about Mr Facey's exemplary life and helps in my mind to make up for some of the shit we constantly hear and read about in this world, I'll watch the movie next, thank you for posting
Really enjoyed this video of that blokes life.I had almost forgotten what it is to hear a heart warming story that actually has a happy ending. Keep it up.Very enjoyable..... & thanks.
Sounds exactly like my grandfather's story right down to the vacant mother. He was in America though and ended up going to West Point, fighting in WW2, and was a math professor at Villanova University. He never once felt sorry for himself always saying his mom gave him everything he needed to succeed in life... A strong mind And a strong body. The kindest, smartest and self assured person I'd ever know. I've attempted to write his biography and still plan too.
So many parallel stories from all around the world of ordinary people whose courage is more inspiring than any superhero. I'm glad it resonated with you - thanks for supporting my channel.
Another awesome video! keep making these docs, one day your channel will get the views it deserves also what an absolute legend, the simple but unrelenting will power of a man who had what I undoubtedly perceive as a very hard life even though he graciously thought otherwise.
I just found out our school principal is a double history major - it was with the utmost pleasure that I could share this hidden gem of a channel with her!!
Indeed! It just goes to show that a great man does not need to be a man of greatness. His book was profoundly inspirational and I hope this video did him justice. Thanks so much for viewing my work and sharing your thoughts!
@@zenolachance1181 They seemed to live by the rule what you have never had you never miss. A B Facey's generation was in the true sense of the word a optimistic generation. He was never a victim because he was never beaten!
It's wild how beautiful your docs are. I love the narration too. I also love how you go in detail about the events that sorrounded an individual, sometimes taking 15 to half hour detours but still keeping me gripped. You got a mighty gift
Thank you Allan for a marvellous telling of Albert Facey's lifestory - your narrative , the film sequences and historic archive images of the times as well as quotes from "A Fortunate Life " all beautifully put together . Shirley Walker's books "A Ghost at the Wedding" and "Roundabout at Bangalow" are both life stories set in the early 20th century that you may be familiar with. She writes of the terrible losses following WW1 that in rural Australia "the land was emptied of young men" - powerful words and any War Memorial in any Australian town will echo those same sentiments ...
Inspiring story. I keep wondering what men like him would think if they knew what is happening in Australia and the world right now...incomprehension most likely - and how could this happen when we tried so hard to give you something to build on? You got fat and slack and let the despots take over and now we're back to square one. Just like it always was...
Excellent in every respect. Thank you so much. It would be an inspiring school lesson for every Australian child. The knowledge and study of his book and the all the books by Aboriginal peoples and all the consequences of land clearing etc.
I certainly thought so - it made me re-frame my own life and appreciate the little things so much more. Thanks so much for your generous praise, and for supporting my channel!
Thank you Allan for another hugely enjoyable documentary. Very well researched and produced although I think that it would have been even better without the background sound track.
Please ensure your comments conform to community guidelines, otherwise you may be blocked and have your comment disallowed. As these videos are solo efforts, written and recorded over many long hours, mistakes are quite possible. I appreciate any corrections and as always, I will post them in an ERRATUM in the Description section. Several viewers have commented that they found the music soundtrack distracting, so I've uploaded a - MUSIC FREE - version here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MrnZeNJ6zPQ.html Thanks for supporting my channel, and enjoy!
Sometimes we need encouragement when the chips are down, but sometimes we need to learn from history, just how good we've got it, as a way to pull our head in and get on with it. His story still inspires me, even after decades of having read his book. Thanks so much for your support of my channel!
I certainly found it an inspirational story worth sharing. Thanks so much for viewing my content from all the available videos out there. I appreciate the support
Albert Facey is a lot like me. He realized young, just as I did, that nobody was going to come into my bedroom and say, "Hey, I got a job for you." You have to get out there and make things happen. That means working at just about any job you can get no matter how dirty or hard. That means moving to where the work is and many people for whatever reasons will not do this. I've lived in 50-100 places and I always had a job within the first week. I'd offer my services for free just to show them I was a good worker. You go where the wind tells you to go. If something doesn't work out you just move on to the next place. Things like poverty and even lack of food only motivates you more to get out of that situation. Facey was just one of the millions of people who do what needs to be done and don't make a big deal out of it. An ordinary but extraordinary person as was his wife.
@@petergrundy8081 God gave us free will to decide what we were going to do on Earth. He left it up to us. I think luck is a gift from him to show us we're on the right path.
His story is one of the best book and movie i have ever seen in 1988 the year six teacher i had started reading the book to my class halfway through the year but never got to finish t before she left on mernrnity leave sso for christmas that year i asked for the book witch i still have a month later the tv mini series was put on tv three days before school started it was not long ago that i relised who played the first man who he went to work for was. i always thought it was cruel of the mother wouldn't let that couple that wanted to adopt him to do so he would have had a better life if she had done so
Another great program. We were great friends with Rhonda, Albert's granddaughter. A small matter of grammar and pronunciation: Albert would have been saved by an "aborigine", not an "aboriginal". Aboriginal - adjective - relating to the indigenous peoples of Australia or their languages. Aborigine - noun - a person, animal, or plant that has been in a country or region from earliest times. An indigenous inhabitant of Australia.
Thanks- there was some discussion about this on another thread. I grew up at a time when the use of "Aborigine" was being phased out in common usage. An indigenous school teacher of mine in the 1970's was adamant that the term was racist and insisted on our using the adjective as a noun (which is not uncommon, particularly with reference to people).
An excellent concept ! For every life story we're "supposed" to learn, there are many "unremarkable" stories that'll resonate with everyday lives more, but most I fear are unrecorded "geeze mate, I only just lived me life, nothin' special". I glad my mum wrote her autobiography, so we can recall her experiences. What movie are the clips taken from ?
An excelent presentation of a real hero. I was surprised that you did not mention that the retreat from Gallipoli with no casualties was down to one man......He put forward an idea of placing rifles in the usual positions which all had a water mechanism which would pull the trigger . As they were leaving occaisonaly a rifle would fire and the Turks thought they were still there. Pretty smart idea saved thousands of men.
Absolutely heartbreaking, and yet, by the end he managed to let go of all that. A lesson in character we can all learn from. Thanks so much for sharing!
@@heroesandlegends Yes indeed.. And Social Democracy is less "fashionable" as the dispossessed "sheeple' follow "The One Percent" (YT video by JJ of J&J) into profitable wars etc. Noel Pearson's eulogy I find a fitting and accurate tribute to another great Aussie maverick / larrikin. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JsXmYHiuJ8s.html
A good telling of A. B. Facey’s life who wrote “A Fortunate Life.” And as said, how many these days would regard such hardship as fortunate. You only missed one thing. The book is relentlessly optimistic, however toward the end of the book are two of the blackest pages I have ever read, where he proclaims that there is no God. How could there be a God when men in their thousands, brothers, comrades all, could be left dead at Gallipoli.
That's a good point. My own impression was that despite that dark moment, his message was, as you say, incredibly optimistic, and his comment was not unusual for a man who went through Gallipoli.
@@heroesandlegends Maybe the First World War altered the consciousness of Australia. Facey was probably saved by his marriage. Anyway, your video was excellent. Thank you.
How can anyone blame any person for being poor? Everyone is poor because of outside circumstances! Always! Every single person should have a Universal Basic Income worldwide obviously!
I think the lesson here is to just make the most of what you have, where you are; to contribute to your family and community and to be grateful for the opportunity of doing so. Thats something we can all try to do.
@@heroesandlegends That's true - we can all try to. It's just that some of us simply don't have what it takes to be anywhere near successful in the endeavour. Some of us are quitters to the core. Some of us are too mentally/spiritually weak, defeatist, prone to suffering from depression and so on.
Having read the book twice and loved it I was disappointed that it's being reported by more than 2 or 3 Historians that Facey played loose and hard with the truth. Chris Roberts, a retired Brigadier says that Facey's account of his arrival and wounding at Gallipoli is a fabrication. War records reveal that Facey arrived on the 7th of May, 12 days after the first landing. Facey also writes he was horribly wounded, his records reveal no such injury. If this is true, how much more of the memoir is a fabrication? If this is true, shame on you AB Facey. Myths about war only perpetuate war.
Yes, I've read those reports too. Agreed. Though we should also perhaps remember he was in his 80's when he wrote them, so some details could also be faulty memory.
@@heroesandlegends Oh. I'm sorry; I should've expressed myself better. I meant people who didn't play a big part in history. "Everyday people", if you will.
Several viewers have commented that they found the music soundtrack distracting, so I've uploaded a - MUSIC FREE - version here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MrnZeNJ6zPQ.html
That's wild y'all call it a mod rather than a herd. I got to go be with the Australian equivalent of the cowboys and let their culture and legends wash over me
We use mob (rather than flock) for sheep, but herd for cattle. The outback is a remarkable place, and its people are incredible battlers. Thanks so much for watching!
I read this book some years ago. Facey's stories about combat in the Gallipoli campaign did not ring true. I looked into it further. Documents from the era contradict Facey's accounts. For example his occupation on entering the service is recorded as labourer rather than the professional boxer he claimed to have been, and records of the period showed that rather than being wounded, he was invalided out of the army due to "heart trouble". Generally Facey's book is best described as a bunch of tall tales rather than a historical document. A bit surprising that it's used as a school text in Australia.
Here is the link to Facey's service record, which gives his profession as labourer rather than the professional boxer he claimed to have been: discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/person/162346 Here is the page of the service records which gives his reason for leaving as "heart trouble" and goes into detail about hospital admissions (the subsequent pages give "tachycarditis" as the exact condition): discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/65809/5 Apart from this obvious discrepancy, it's a little unlikely that Facey would have been able to single-handedly mow down numbers of Turkish soldiers with a machine gun on multiple occasions in the way described in the book.
I'm not sure what rings so untrue to you. Maybe you should watch the documentary again or just think about it some more. Firstly, it is completely unsurprising and not unusual that his occupation would be listed as 'labourer' - Occupations listed on entering service would have been just general descriptions and he basically was a labourer. He was in a travelling boxing troupe for a short stint and it would be completely inaccurate to describe his occupation as 'professional boxer'. Secondly, if he suffered internal injuries from a shell blast which made him unable to fight effectively, it is also completely unsurprising that he is listed as invalided due to cardiac issues.
@@Mantis11235 I've read the book and anyone with a clue can see that Facey was embellishing his stories to make them sound more exciting, and to make his own role more significant than it actually was. But you are welcome to believe it is gospel if you want to.
@@patbeulah6208 if you are not a Christian you’re not a follower of Jesus, therefore, you’re incapable of doing good because your motives and heart are selfish and not aligned with the Bible
He wasn’t a believer in God. You are wrong and a bigot. I suggest you examine your own heart and prideful stance. Direct quote from Bert: “My experience in the First World War and now the Second World War changed my outlook on things. It’s hard to believe that there is a God. I feel that the Bible is a book that was written by man, not for the good of man, but for the purpose of preying on a person’s conscience and to confuse him. Anyone who has taken part in a fierce bayonet charge, and I have, and has managed to retain his proper senses, must doubt the truth of the Bible and the powers of God if one exists. And considering the many hundreds of different religions there are in this world of ours and that fact that many religions have caused terrible wars and hatreds throughout the world and the many religions that have horded terrific wealth and property while people inside and outside the religion are starving, it’s difficult to remain a believer. No sir, there is no God. It is only a myth.”
@@brasschick4214 If that’s true Then he wasn’t a Christian. Sad if he died an unbeliever. There are false religions and false prophets / con artists out there for sure. The Bible warns about that. But Christianity is the only way to live a good life and the only way to heaven.
@@FerallHog Incapable of doing good things? Read a story called the good Samaritan. Its about a bloke (who wasn't a follower of Jesus) who did the right thing where the religious people did nothing. People who don't follow Jesus can and have done some of the most noble, righteous things that any human could ever do. Followers of Jesus have done some some pretty bad stuff, enough to give Church History 101 an R rating. Being a follower of Jesus is about being forgiven, not superior.
Please see the non-music version linked in the description section. Its been a steep learning curve, and Im doing my best to make these videos better as I go. Thanks for taking the time to watch
Several viewers have commented that they found the music soundtrack distracting, so I've uploaded a - MUSIC FREE - version here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MrnZeNJ6zPQ.html I hope that helps!
Albert Facey would suggest you take a concrete pill and harden up mate. Did he wimp out at Gallipoli because he didn't like the "bloody awful background music" of the Turkish shells?
I apologise Peter McDermott. You're clearly a delicate soul, who, like the spectator at Banjo Patterson's Geebung Polo Club match, breaks his leg "from merely looking on".
Several viewers have commented that they found the music soundtrack distracting, so I've uploaded a - MUSIC FREE - version here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MrnZeNJ6zPQ.html
