Cenotaph Stories

William Keith "Pete" Swayze was born on 16 December 1898 in Canboro in Haldimand County. Their father was a Barrister who practiced in Dunnville, Ontario until he was appointed to the Bench in 1916. Their great-grandfather served as an Officer in the British Army during the War of 1812 who had settled in Canada after leaving the service.

Swayze matriculated in June of 1915 and was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada as a law student in the Fall of 191 7. He was articling under Thos. Stewart of the firm Stewart & Scott in Lindsay, Ontario.

Swayze enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps and arrived in England in September of 191 7. After training in England with No. 38 Training Squadron, he was posted to No. 62 Squadron in February of 1918 and went over to France. No. 62 Squadron was originally established in 1916 and operated the Bristol F2B fighter in France during the last year of the War. Swayze scored a total 6 aerial victories between 22 May and 12 August of 1918, making him an Ace:

Swayze was taken prisoner on 4 September 1918. While escorting bombers from No. 107 Squadron on a bombing raid to Valenciennes, France as part of the 1st and 3rd Army offensive against the Drocourt-Queant Switch, his aircraft developed engine problems and was forced down behind enemy lines and he was captured. Swayze spent the rest of the War as a Prisoner of War. Repatriated at the end of the War Swayze made it back to Canada, but died on 25 February 1920.