Lieutenant Samuel Lewis Honey, teacher, soldier, and officer, born 9 February 1894 in the hamlet of Conn, Ontario, eldest child of the Reverend George Edward Honey and Metta Blaisdell.
Early Life of Samuel Lewis Honey
Honey’s father served several Methodist churches in the area around Conn, with the Honeys moving frequently. Lewis attending school at Drayton in 1908 when his father transferred to Princeton, Oxford County. Following graduation from Princeton Continuation School in July 1910, with permission to teach, Honey took charge of a school on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford.
Located along the banks of the Grand River, Six Nations the only reserve in North America where all six Haudenosaunee nations live together.
In the spring of 1911 Honey briefly taught near Drumbo. He enrolled in the autumn of 1911 in the Normal School at London and graduated in June of 1912 with a public-school teaching certificate. After a year at Londesborough school in western Huron County, he resigned to take his senior matriculation at Walkerton High School, from which he graduated in June 1914. Honey then completed a course as a cadet instructor. In the autumn he returned to teaching in Whitchurch Township, York County.
Enlistment of Samuel Lewis Honey
Plans to enroll in Victoria College at Toronto to take his arts degree ended by his enlistment on 22 January 1915 at Walkerton with the 34th Canadian Infantry Battalion, service number 602174. Samuel stood 5′ 6″ tall, 138 pounds, with good physical development.
Honey disembarked SS CALIFORNIA at Devonport, England, on 31 October 1915. As an acting sergeant with the 53rd Battalion, Honey chosen to take special courses at Aldershot in physical training and bayonet fighting. From January to August 1916 an instructor in those disciplines at Bramshott camp.
Sergeant Samuel Lewis Honey
On 21 July 1916, taken on strength as a sergeant by the 87th Infantry Battalion, part of the 4th Division.
Honey proceeded to France on 12 August 1916, having completed his Military Will two days previously, and later transferred to the 78th Battalion (Winnipeg Grenadiers), 24 August 1916.
Military Medal
Honey confirmed in the rank of sergeant, in the Field, 24 August 1916.
Sergeant Honey earned the Military Medal for gallantry during a raid on German trenches on 22 February 1917. London Gazette dated 26 April 1917, the citation read in part, “He did most excellent work in clearing an enemy’s communication trench and establishing a block in spite of heavy opposition. He personally covered the withdrawal of his own and another squad under a very heavy grenade fire.” Honey modest about his achievement and wrote home.
I think the rest of the party deserved recognition as much as I did. . . . What I did, didn’t amount to much. The biggest part of my job was leading the party across; and it really isn’t as easy as one would think. But my bump of locality is pretty well developed, and . . . I struck our objective within ten yards.
Distinguished Conduct Medal
Sergeant Samuel Honey MM awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallant leadership during the battle of Vimy Ridge in April. After his platoon commander had been wounded he “assumed command, leading his men forward in face of terrific fire, until compelled by casualties to dig in. He held his position for three days, encouraging his men by his splendid example.” Honey’s comment on winning the second distinction, “I guess I’m a pretty lucky boy.”
After Vimy Ridge Sergeant Samuel Honey MM DCM recommended for a commission. In early May he became an instructor at Bramshott pending the opening in July of the officers’ training course (OTC) at Bexhill. Promoted to Lieutenant, 2 July 1917.
Presentation of Colours
Ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral 23 June 1917 when the Regimental Colours of the 78th Battalion Canadian Infantry were deposited in the Canterbury Cathedral 23 June 1917.
From an appendix of the 78th Battalion war diary.
Honey rejoined his unit as a lieutenant on 14 October 1917.
Lieutenant Samuel Lewis Honey MM DCM Battalion Lewis Gun Course Officer from 1 May 1918. Lewis Gun Course at Le Touquet, 1 June 1918 and at Aubin St Vaast, 29 June 1918.
Victoria Cross
In August 1918 the Canadian Corps given the task of dislodging the enemy from a maze of defensive positions considered to be almost impregnable, those east of Monchy-le-Preux, the Fresnes-Rouvroy Line, the Drocourt-Quéant Line, and the Canal du Nord.
Hindenburg Line
Through a series of determined attacks the Canadians pierced the first three systems during the latter part of August and early September. On 27 September they crossed the Canal du Nord, overran the heavily fortified German positions in Bois de Bourlon, and beat off every counter-attack. In this operation Honey earned the Victoria Cross.
Lieutenant Samuel Lewis Honey died of wounds received on the last day of the 78th’s attack, GSW legs, at 12th Canadian Field Ambulance.
While taking part in an attack on enemy positions near Sailly on the morning of September 30th, 1918, he was mortally wounded by the explosion of an enemy shell which landed close to him, both his legs being fractured and badly mangled. His wounds were dressed and he was taken to No. 12 Canadian Field Ambulance where he died.
Circumstances of Casualty card
Letter Home from Lt Col J Kirkcaldy
Honey’s commanding officer wrote to his family,
“Nowhere have I seen such gallant work as this boy of yours displayed. . . . He was the first to reach the final objective during the first day and throughout the days that followed he was an example of grit and determination that was the talk of the whole command. The men idolized him, and as they bore him by me that morning there was a tenderness in their care that only strong men can show.”
Lt Col J Kirkcaldy CMG DSO
Quéant Communal Cemetery British Extension
Lieutenant Samuel Lewis Honey, in very good company, buried in Quéant Communal Cemetery British Extension. Queant close behind the Hindenburg Line, at the South end of a minor defence system known as the Drocourt-Queant Line, and not captured by British troops until 2 September 1918.
On the North side of the Communal Cemetery a German Extension of nearly 600 graves (1916-1918), now removed. The British Extension made by fighting units, on the far side of the German Extension, in September and October 1918. Nearly 300 Great War casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, a small number unidentified.
Major-General Louis J Lipsett
The most popular commander in the CEF. Later commanding a British Army, British-born Major-General Louis J Lipsett buried with full military honours two weeks after Samuel Honey.
Unusually, and somewhat contrary to CWGC protocol, Lipsett the only soldier buried in Plot F, Grave 1. CEFRG unaware of any other such grave on the Western Front.
Legacy
A plaque in Honey’s honour unveiled by the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario beside Westcott United Church, Conn, in 1964. Memorial Plaque – Lieutenant Samuel Lewis Honey’s name listed on the Memorial Plaque at London Normal School. The Memorial now located at Western University in the Faculty of Education.
Cenotaph – Barrie Military Park, Canadian Victoria Cross Recipients.
Memorial – The Cenotaph at Memorial Park in St. Catharines, Ontario. Dedicated on 7 August 1927 by the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII), and unveiled by Brigadier General W. B. M. King, C.M.G., D.S.O. The names of St. Catharines’ men who died as a result of their service during the Great War listed on two bronze tablets located at City Hall.
Medal set of Lieutenant Samuel Lewis Honey V.C., D.C.M., M.M.
The Honey family presented his medals to the Canadian War Museum in 1975.
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Comments
One response to “Lieutenant Samuel Lewis Honey VC in the Great War”
The plaque at Conn is no longer there, or at least it wasn’t a few years ago. The church is now a residence.