Aboyne, Ont. –Two of Wellington County’s First World War stories will have a permanent place on the Wellington Place grounds in Aboyne, as the County unveiled new commemorative signage honouring Victoria Cross recipients Captain Frederick William Campbell and Lieutenant Samuel Lewis Honey.
The two permanent panels recognize the extraordinary bravery and sacrifice of Campbell and Honey, who both had strong connections to Wellington County and served with distinction during the First World War. The signage will be unveiled ahead of WCMA’s annual Remembrance Day services, providing a lasting opportunity for visitors to learn about their stories and reflect on the sacrifices made by local residents who served their country.
“Preserving and sharing these stories is an important part of our responsibility to future generations,” commented Warden Chris White. “Frederick William Campbell and Samuel Lewis Honey demonstrated extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable circumstances. These panels ensure that their contributions - and the sacrifices they made - remain part of the story we tell about Wellington County.”
Councillor Jeff Duncan, of the County’s Information, Heritage, and Seniors Committee said the new signage offers a meaningful way to connect local history with the County’s annual Remembrance Day commemorations.
"The Victoria Cross represents unyielding personal conviction and sacrifice carried out in the most extreme of circumstances,” said Duncan. “It is something that extraordinary individual Canadians have done in the past, have done since, and I believe would do in the future for their friends, family, and Country if called upon. The commemorative initiative is to remember the local Victoria Cross individuals, tell their stories so as they are not forgotten."
The new commemorative panels were unveiled this morning on Frederick Campbell Street in advance of WCMA’s annual Remembrance Day programming.
The Wellington County Museum and Archives invites the public to attend their upcoming Remembrance Day events in early November, including a Remembrance Ceremony on November 9 (10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) and a Candle Vigil on November 10 (5:30 to 6:00 p.m.).
For more information about Remembrance Day programming at the Wellington County Museum and Archives, visit wcma.wellington.ca.
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Media Contact:
Jana Burns
Museum and Wellington Place Administrator,
County of Wellington
519.846.0916 x 5222
janab@wellington.ca