27448 Private Alfred Barkey was a 22 year old labourer originally from Wallasey, England when he attested into the 15th Battalion in September 1914 at Valcartier. He was serving in No. 4 Company which was positioned in St. Julian during the battle of 2nd Ypres and was taken prisoner on April 24, 1915. Like the majority of 15th Battalion NCO’s and ORs, he was interned at Gottingen POW Camp where he died of diphtheria on August 6, 1915. Private Barkey is buried in Niederzwehern Cemetery.
This man’s parents’ surname was Barchi and they lived in the UK. No docs in his service file show his name as Barchi and his name was listed as Barkey even prewar as a member of the 37th Grey Regiment. So he either changed his name to Barkey when he emigrated to Canada or lied when he joined the 37th Regt of the Militia before he attested into the CEF.
He is listed as Barkey on the virtual war memorial and the official 1915 list of casualties lists him as Barkey. Only the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list has him as Barchi.
Strangely, we have two record of service cards with the same service number: one for Barkey and the other for Barchi.
NOK: Son of Angelo and Christina Barchi, of 11, Hood St., Seacombe, Wallasey, Cheshire, England.