Sam Hughes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Sir Sam Hughes KCB PC
Minister of Militia and Defence
In office 10 October 1911 – 12 October 1916
Prime Minister	Robert Laird Borden
Preceded by	Frederick William Borden
Succeeded by	Albert Edward Kemp
Member of Parliament for Victoria North
In office 11 February 1892 – 2 November 1904
Preceded by	John Augustus Barron
Succeeded by	none
Member of Parliament for Victoria
In office 3 November 1904 – 24 August 1921
Preceded by	none
Succeeded by	John Jabez Thurston
Personal details
Born	(1853-01-08)January 8, 1853 Solina, Darlington, Canada West
Died	August 24, 1921(1921-08-24) (aged 68) Lindsay, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Unionist
Other political affiliations	Liberal-Conservative
Spouse	Mary Burk
Alma mater	Toronto Normal School, University of Toronto
Profession	Teacher, editor
Military service
Allegiance	Canadian Militia
Years of service	1866 - 1916
Rank	Bugler Captain Lieutenant Colonel Honourary Lieutenant General
Unit	49th Hastings Battalion 45th West Durham Battalion Warren’s Scouts
Commands	45th West Durham Battalion
Battles/wars	Fenian Raids (1870) Second Boer War Karoo Expedition Battle of Faber's Put First World War

Sir Samuel Hughes (January 8, 1853 – August 23, 1921) was a Canadian politician. He served as the Minister of Militia and Defence during World War I. He was known for his strong opinions and his role in shaping Canada's military.

Early Life and Career

Hughes was born in 1853 near Bowmanville, Ontario. His father was from Ireland, and his mother was Canadian. He went to school in Durham County, Ontario. Later, he studied at the Toronto Normal School and the University of Toronto.

In 1866, Hughes joined the local militia. He served during the Fenian raids in the 1860s and 1870s. He loved the militia and was a very good shot with a rifle. He even became president of the Dominion Rifle Association.

At age 20, he married Caroline Preston, who sadly died a year later. He then married Mary Burk. They moved to Toronto, where he worked as a teacher. In 1885, he moved his family to Lindsay, Ontario. There, he bought a local newspaper called The Victoria Warder.

Newspaper Editor and Politician

As a newspaper owner, Hughes often shared his strong views. He supported the Conservative Party. His newspaper was very important for people in rural Victoria County.

Hughes was very proud of Victoria County. He saw it as a rugged, frontier area. He believed in hard work and self-discipline. He also thought that joining the militia helped men become tougher.

He tried to join the forces fighting the North-West Rebellion in 1885 but was not allowed. He wrote a lot about the rebellion in his newspaper. He praised the Canadian militia, saying they were better than professional soldiers.

In 1891, Hughes ran for Parliament as a Conservative. He lost at first but won in a special election in 1892. He became a Member of Parliament.

Service in the Boer War

In 1899, the Second Boer War began in South Africa. Hughes volunteered to fight. He was allowed to go, even though some British officers didn't want him there.

He sailed to Cape Town with other Canadian volunteers. Hughes often disagreed with the British Army. He believed Canadian citizen soldiers were better than British professional soldiers. He thought the war showed that Canadians were tougher.

Hughes was known for getting things done quickly. He was praised for his leadership by some British officials. He was also known for being kind to civilians. He always paid for food he took from farms.

He was involved in a battle at Faber's Pass in May 1900. He helped lead a counterattack against the enemy. Hughes often asked for a Victoria Cross medal for his actions. This was unusual because people are usually recommended for the award.

Hughes was sent back to Canada in 1900. This was because he often disobeyed orders and criticized the British military. He was later knighted in 1915 for his service. He became known as "Sir Sam."

Minister of Militia and Defence

In 1911, Robert Laird Borden became Prime Minister. He appointed Hughes as the Minister of Militia and Defence. Hughes had wanted this job for a long time. He aimed to create a strong Canadian army.

Hughes was very energetic in his new role. He traveled across Canada to visit militia groups. He often wore his military uniform, even to government meetings. He was known for making colorful statements, which made him popular with the media.

He believed Canada should be an equal partner in the British Empire. He fought against Britain treating Canada like a colony. He increased the military budget and built more training camps.

Hughes preferred citizen soldiers over professional ones. He cut spending on the small professional army. Instead, he focused on the larger part-time militia. He believed this reflected Canada's true fighting spirit.

In 1912, Hughes caused controversy. He stopped militia groups in Quebec from taking part in Catholic parades. He said he was supporting secularism, but many saw it as anti-Catholic.

Canada Enters World War I

When World War I began in August 1914, Canada automatically joined the war. Hughes was very eager for Canada to help. He quickly offered Canadian troops to Britain.

Instead of using the existing militia, Hughes created a new force. This was called the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). He also built a new training camp at Valcartier, Quebec. This decision caused some confusion, but Hughes worked hard to organize everything.

Hughes encouraged many Canadians to volunteer. He was known for giving orders directly to soldiers and officers. He sometimes promoted officers on the spot. He was praised for how quickly he got the troops ready.

However, there were problems at the camp. Training was rushed, and there were shortages of supplies. Hughes also preferred Anglo-Canadian officers. He did not allow some qualified French-Canadian officers to join the First Contingent.

Most of the first Canadian soldiers were British immigrants. They were sent to England for more training. Hughes went to London to make sure the CEF would fight together. He didn't want them split up among British units. He succeeded, which was a major achievement.

Challenges and Dismissal

The CEF began fighting on the Western Front in February 1915. They were at the Ypres Salient in Belgium. In April 1915, the Germans used chlorine gas. The 1st Canadian Division held their ground despite heavy losses. This battle gave the CEF a reputation for being tough.

Hughes was happy about the Canadian victory. But he also criticized the British general in charge. He insisted on using Canadian-made equipment, even if it wasn't the best. For example, the Ross rifle often jammed in combat.

Hughes was knighted in 1915 and made an honorary lieutenant-general in 1916. However, he faced growing criticism. There were concerns about waste and inefficiency in his department.

In 1915, a scandal arose with the Shell Committee. This committee was set up to make shells and bullets. It was accused of corruption. Prime Minister Borden had to create a new board, the Imperial Munitions Board, to fix the problems.

Hughes also started a "chum's battalion" campaign. This allowed groups of friends to join the CEF together. This raised many new battalions, but some volunteers were too young, old, or unfit.

Hughes's actions caused tension with French Canadians. He sent English-speaking recruiters to Quebec. He also made French volunteers speak English in training. This, along with other issues, led to fewer French-Canadians volunteering.

By 1916, many people, including Prime Minister Borden, thought Hughes was difficult to work with. Borden felt Hughes was a political problem. Hughes was finally dismissed from his cabinet position in October 1916.

Later Life and Legacy

After being dismissed, Hughes continued to be a Member of Parliament. He often criticized Borden and the war effort. He tried to start a new political party, but it didn't work out.

He also had a public feud with General Arthur Currie, the commander of the Canadian Corps. Hughes accused Currie of making bad decisions that led to many Canadian deaths. Currie never responded publicly to these attacks.

Sir Sam Hughes died in August 1921 at age 68. His funeral in Lindsay was a very large event. Thousands of people attended to honor him.

A memorial plaque in Lindsay, Ontario, remembers Sam Hughes. It states that he helped create a distinct Canadian Army. He raised the Canadian Expeditionary Force for World War I and was knighted for his service.

Images for kids

• 

  Hughes visiting the Front in August 1916

Archives

There is a Sir Sam Hughes and Family collection at Library and Archives Canada.

Electoral Record

See also

• Canadian Aviation Corps
• Nickle Resolution – a policy in place since 1917 that occurred after Hughes' knighthood