George’s War
Enlisting in Perth in July 1915 aged 29, George began his training at Blackboy Hill and was assigned to the 32nd Battalion, D Company. The battalion left Australia from Adelaide on the final voyage of the troopship A2 Geelong on 18 November 1915. They disembarked at Port Suez on 18 December 1915.
George would have trained and served with his unit in Egypt and then embarked with them for France in June. We have little details of his service other than what can be gleaned from enquiries made by the Red Cross. In one statement dated 19 November 1916, 3116 Private Herbert C. Grieves gave evidence that:
“I knew Honey personally. He came from Western Australia. He was killed at Fromelles, being bayoneted in the head in the German first line. His body was not recovered. Lieut. Ward of the 32nd battalion (sic), saw this and told me later.”
Further evidence was provided by 1379 Private Frederick Thew of D Company, 32nd Battalion who advised:
“I regret to inform you that there is absolutely no doubt as to his death. On enquiries from some of the other men who saw him at the time, I find that unfortunately he was bayonetted by the enemy in the first encounter (19-7-16)
With regards to his description – as far as I can remember he was of medium height, farily (sic) solidly built, with heavy moustache, age about 35 to 37, and I believe resided in Maylands, W.A.
I may add also that he had been a Company cook until 3 days before.”
Annie and Jim, the young widow and son left behind
Left to grieve the loss of her husband, Ann Brown Honey then aged 29, was left to raise their son Jim alone. She received a pension from the army and also had the support of her brother John with whom they lived for a time. As next of kin, Ann also received George’s identification disc that was returned by the Germans and, after the war, she received her husband’s memorial plaque and war service medals.
Ann never remarried and she eventually settled – with young James - in Maylands, a suburb of Perth. When World War II commenced, James was 25 and enlisted as a gunner with the Garrison Artillery. He returned to Australia and worked with the Government Printing Office but sadly died aged 36 in 1951.
Ann survived James by 14 years dying in 1965 aged 78. James and Ann were both cremated and are memorialised in the Crematorium Rose Gardens, Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth.
