Samuel Lewis Honey VC DCM MM

b. 09/02/1894 Conn, Ontario, Canada. d. 30/09/1918 Bourlon Wood, France.

Samuel Lewis Honey (1894-1918) was born on 9th February 1894 in Conn, Ontario, Canada. His father, the Reverend George Edward Honey was a Methodist Minister of the Hamilton Conference, was born in Mitchell, Ontario. He married Metta Blaisdell who hailed from Massachusetts, USA, in 1892 in Boston, Massachusetts. They moved around alot due to George’s work, spending periods of time in Conn, Ontario, Lennoxville, Quebec, and St Catherines, Ontario. Samuel had six siblings.

Samuel was educated and employed at Continuation Schools of Drayton and Princeton, Ontario, following which he was a teacher at the Six Nations Indian Reserve near Brantford, Ontario in 1910. He also taught at Drumbo, Oxford County, where he was very successful and, as a result, was admitted into London Normal School. He then taught for a year at Londesborough School, Huron County. He then attended Walkerton High School, Ontario, where he graduated in 1914 with 1st Class Honours in English and French and 2nd Class Honours in Latin and German. He received the $60 Carter Scholarship from the Department of Education and returned to teaching at Bloomington School, Whitechurch Township, York County.

Samuel L Honey
VC DCM MM

Plans to enrol in Victoria College at Toronto to take his arts degree were brought to an end by his enlistment in late January 1915 at Walkerton with the 34th Infantry Battalion. He disembarked at Devonport, England, on 31st October 1915. As an acting sergeant, Honey was chosen to take special courses at Aldershot in physical training and bayonet fighting. From January to August 1916 he was an instructor in those disciplines at Bramshott camp. During the summer he was officially taken on strength as a sergeant by the 78th Infantry Battalion, part of the 4th Division, and he proceeded to France on 12th August.

Honey was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry during a raid on German trenches on 22nd February 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 was 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.” He added, “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.”

Honey was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallant leadership during the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917. 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 was, “I guess I’m a pretty lucky boy.” After Vimy Ridge he was recommended for a commission. In early May he became an instructor at Bramshott pending the opening in July of the officers’ training course at Bexhill. Honey rejoined his unit as a lieutenant on 14th October 1917. He was appointed the Battalion Lewis Gun Officer on 1st May and attended a Lewis gun course at Le Touquet between 26th May – 5th June and at Aubin-St-Vaast 29th June – 17th July.

In August 1918 the Canadian Corps was 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. Through a series of determined attacks, the Canadians pierced the first three systems during the latter part of August and early September. On 27th September they crossed the Canal du Nord, overran the heavily fortified German positions in Bois de Bourlon, and beat off every counter-attack. It was in this operation that Honey was awarded the Victoria Cross. After all other officers of his company had become casualties, Honey “took command and skilfully reorganised under severe fire. He continued the advance with great dash and gained the objective. Then finding that his company was suffering casualties from enfilade machine-gun fire he located the machine-gun nest and rushed it single-handed, capturing the guns and ten prisoners.” After repulsing four counter-attacks he went out alone after dark, located a German post, and took a party to capture it. On the 29th he led his company against a strong enemy position and continued to display “the same high example of valour and self-sacrifice.” He died of wounds received on the last day of the 78th’s attack at the 12th Canadian Field Ambulance.

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.”

He was buried in Quéant Communal Cemetery British Extension. In accordance with his parents’ wishes, there was no investiture of his Victoria Cross. The VC was sent by the War Office to the Governor General of Canada. It was posted to the Reverend George Honey on 27th March 1919. Samuel is commemorated in several places: Victoria Cross Public School, Mount Forest, Ontario, and with a memorial plaque at Westcott United Church in Conn, Ontario in 1964 (later moved to the Fred Campbell VC Branch, Royal Canadian Legion, Mount Forest, Ontario. He is also named on the Mount Forest War Memorial, on the London Normal School War Memorial, on the VC obelisk at Barrie, Ontario, and with a VC commemorative stone at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.

In addition to the VC, DCM and MM, he was awarded the British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19. As he died on operational duty, his next of kin received the Canadian Memorial Cross. The medals were left to his sister, Florence Isabel Honey, who presented them to the Canadian War Museum in 1975, on the understanding that they were never loaned to any other private or public institution.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM, OTTAWA, CANADA.

BURIAL PLACE: QUEANT COMMUNAL CEMETERY, BRITISH EXTENSION, PAS DE CALAIS, FRANCE.

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